New York Islanders - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres goalie Connor Knapp to make first NHL start

BUFFALO – Connor Knapp, the sixth goalie on the Sabres’ depth chart, will make his first NHL start this afternoon against the New York Islanders.

The Sabres recalled goalie Andrey Makarov from Rochester today on an emergency basis. But the 20-year-old Russian played for the Americans the last two days.

“Makarov, this will be his third game in three nights,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “They play ... Read the full article

Sabres recall three from Amerks on emergency basis

BUFFALO – Yes, the Sabres will have a full lineup for this afternoon’s season finale against the New York Islanders inside the First Niagara Center.

The injury-ravaged club, which lost five players in Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Boston, today recalled winger Nick Deslauriers, goalie Andrey Makarov and defenseman Mark Pysyk from Rochester on an emergency basis.

Makarov could make his first NHL start against the Isles. The 20-year-old Russian played Friday and Saturday for ... Read the full article

Sabres recall rookie Rasmus Ristolainen from Amerks

BUFFALO – With defenseman Alexander Sulzer out, the Sabres today recalled rookie Rasmus Ristolainen from Rochester.

The 19-year-old should play tonight in New York against the Islanders, his first NHL game since Nov. 15.

Ristolainen, the eighth overall pick in June, compiled one goal and four penalty minutes in 19 games after making the Sabres out of training camp. He played one game under interim coach Ted Nolan before the Sabres sent him to the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Moulson endured long road to becoming elite NHL scorer

BUFFALO – Four years ago, Matt Moulson’s career reached what he called “a fork in the road.”

Having spent the final six months of 2008-09 in the minors before Los Angeles let him go, the new Sabres winger began fretting.

At that point, Moulson had six goals in 29 NHL games. But at least the Kings had given him a shot. Pittsburgh, which drafted Moulson 263^rd overall in 2003, never even signed him.

“It ... Read the full article

Sabres retained money in Thomas Vanek trade with Islanders

BUFFALO – Some interesting new details have emerged about Sunday’s big swap, which sent Sabres co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders.

The Sabres retained 19.5 percent of Vanek’s $6.5 million salary in the trade, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. They also kept the same portion of his salary cap hit.

Perhaps that’s why the Isles, who sent high-scoring winger Matt Moulson to the Sabres, also parted with a ... Read the full article

Matt Moulson surprised to leave Isles, upbeat about joining Sabres

BUFFALO – Having grown up in nearby Mississauga, Ont., about a 90-minute drive, Sabres winger Matt Moulson said he’s well-acquainted with his new city.

“I used to love coming to Bills games,” Moulson said this morning inside the First Niagara Center, less than a day after being acquired with two high draft picks from the New York Islanders for co-captain Thomas Vanek. “So it’s a great city. Who knows, it could be for a long ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Thomas Vanek to Islanders for Matt Moulson and picks

BUFFALO – In the short-term, the hapless Sabres are no better after dealing co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders late Sunday for 30-goal winger Matt Moulson and a first-round pick in 2014 and second-round selection in 2015, general manager Darcy Regier said.

But the shocking trade, which Regier worked on with counterpart Garth Snow “off and on for a while,” wasn’t about improving the 2-10-1 club immediately.

“This is more ... Read the full article

Sabres trade co-captain Thomas Vanek to Isles

BUFFALO – In a stunning development, the Sabres have traded 29-year-old co-captain Thomas Vanek, arguably their top player, to the New York Islanders for Matt Moulson, their 2014 first-round pick and a 2015 second-round pick.

The slick winger, an upcoming unrestricted free agent, has expressed an interesting in leaving the Sabres if their rebuilding process takes too long.

Clearly, the Sabres’ awful 2-10-1 start couldn’t convince Vanek to stick around.

In the 29-year-old Moulson, the ... Read the full article

Ryan Miller buoys Sabres in season finale; Jochen Hecht retires from NHL

BUFFALO – The cheers started before Friday’s season finale. First, fans applauded Ryan Miller’s name in the starting lineup. Minutes later, as the Sabres honored the goalie as their MVP prior to his 500^th NHL game, Miller received a loud ovation.

Some fans ever stood up.

It was a far cry from last Friday, when Miller sarcastically saluted the crowd in between two Bronx cheers.

That ugly outing felt like the end of ... Read the full article

Reflective Miller aware 500th game could be last with Sabres, not angry at fans

BUFFALO – On the eve of what could be his 500^th and final appearance with the Sabres, goalie Ryan Miller wouldn’t speculate about his future.

Instead, the 32-year-old mostly delved into a past that has made him one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

At times, Miller’s six-minute chat with the media Thursday sounded more like a goodbye than a reflection of his first 499 games.

He called Buffalo his “second home.” He smiled and ... Read the full article