Nolan - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Ted Nolan wants to give Linus Omark ‘benefit of the doubt’ after weak Sabres debut

TORONTO – Ted Nolan wasn’t too impressed with Linus Omark’s Buffalo Sabres debut in Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Boston.

But the interim coach doesn’t want to judge the flashy winger from one game.

“We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt the first time, jet lagged and getting to a new team and having the flu,” Nolan said this afternoon inside the Air Canada Centre after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Maple ... Read the full article

Crazy goal clinches Sabres’ exciting OT triumph against Coyotes

BUFFALO – No one could recall seeing a goal quite like Mark Pysyk’s wild overtime winner Monday, a score that will undoubtedly become a highlight-reel staple and earn the Sabres rookie some notoriety.

What are the odds the puck gets stuck in the goalie’s pants and he slides into the net with it?

“Nope, haven’t seen that before,” a surly Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith said after the undermanned Sabres’ exciting 2-1 triumph before an ... Read the full article

Flu bug forces the Sabres to play short-handed, utilize tough guy John Scott

BUFFALO – Good thing the NHL’s three-day Christmas break begins today. A flu bug ravaging through the Sabres forced them to dress only 16 skaters for Monday’s 2-1 overtime win against the Phoenix Coyotes inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres scratched forwards Marcus Foligno, Ville Leino and Linus Omark and defenseman Alexander Sulzer, all of whom played Saturday.

With just 10 forwards available, interim coach Ted Nolan switched tough guy John Scott, a winger ... Read the full article

Several Sabres under weather prior to game against Coyotes

BUFFALO – The flu bug is going around the Sabres, so several players couldn’t even get to the rink this morning, interim coach Ted Nolan said.

It’s unclear what the lineup will look like tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes inside the First Niagara Center.

“We’re hoping that they’re ready to go,” Nolan said. “Four or five called in this morning and said they couldn’t make it out of bed. So we’re hoping by game time ... Read the full article

South Buffalo’s Tim Kennedy happy with Coyotes, ready to face Sabres

BUFFALO – Finally, more than three years after the leaving the Sabres, Tim Kennedy’s career appears to be on an upswing again.

The South Buffalo native has spent the last month as a Phoenix Coyotes regular, mostly playing left wing on a top line beside Radim Vrbata and Martin Hanzal. Kennedy skated 19:05 on Thursday, just 11 seconds less than his career high.

It’s been a long, arduous journey for Kennedy since the Sabres unexpectedly ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan on Linus Omark’s Sabres debut: ‘He has to be better’

Interim coach Ted Nolan wasn’t too impressed with winger Linus Omark’s Sabres debut in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Bruins.

“Eh, he has to be better,” Nolan told reporters in Boston.

Omark’s hooking penalty 9:07 into the game led to Reilly Smith’s power-play goal. The 26-year-old also set up Matt Ellis in front nicely early and nearly potted Ellis’ rebound in front late in the game.

“We’ll give him a checkmark for just getting here ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brian Flynn embracing checking role, showcasing offense

BUFFALO – Brian Flynn, the undersized scorer, still wasn’t ready for NCAA hockey. So following two years of prep school, the Sabres center spent a season playing junior in New Hampshire.

“I scored a lot. But then you realize it’s not all about scoring,” Flynn said Friday inside the First Niagara Center after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game in Boston against the Bruins. “I weighed probably 160 pounds. Trying to go to college (at) ... Read the full article

Linus Omark to meet Sabres in Boston; Cody Hodgson possibly out weeks

BUFFALO – Newly acquired winger Linus Omark will meet the Sabres later today in Boston and play Saturday against the Bruins, interim coach Ted Nolan said.

“He’ll take a spot in the lineup,” Nolan said after the Sabres’ brief practice this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I’m not 100 percent sure exactly where we’ll put him yet. But he’ll play tomorrow night.”

The Sabres dealt a conditional sixth-round draft pick to Edmonton on Thursday ... Read the full article

Sabres score 4 goals again, beat Bruins for second straight regulation win

BUFFALO – Break ‘em up. Not only have the Sabres won consecutive games in regulation for the first time all season, they’ve scored eight goals while wowing crowds again inside a lively First Niagara Center.

The Sabres had eight goals in their previous seven games before starting this mini-streak.

Thursday’s 4-2 triumph versus the Boston Bruins might’ve been the best of their nine victories this trying season.

Against the class of the Eastern Conference, Drew ... Read the full article

Bruins’ Brad Marchand on Sabres’ Ted Nolan: ‘I don’t think I’d be here today if he didn’t coach me that year’

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan only coached Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand one season, 88 total games in 2005-06. Still, the year under the interim Sabres coach changed his career.

Marchand was 17 years old, heading into his draft season, when Nolan took over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats.

“He really helped me understand more about the pro life, how the pros have to play the game and what you have to do ... Read the full article