WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Brad Marchand played for Ted Nolan in 2005-06. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
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
Boston’s Scott Thornton fights Krys Barch on Dec. 8, 2011. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres tough guy John Scott said he had the same reaction as everyone else after watching Boston enforcer Shawn Thornton slew-foot and attack Pittsburgh’s Brooks Orpik on Saturday.
“It was just kind of not like Shawn Thornton, who’s an honorable guy, good guy,” Scott said this morning after the Sabres prepared for the Bruins inside the First Niagara Center. “I think he probably just got caught up in the moment. I was actually ... Read the full article
John Scott skates as a defenseman this morning. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – John Scott, defenseman? Believe it. The Sabres tough guy could be moving from the wing back to his natural position.
Scott will be a game-time decision tonight against the Boston Bruins, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.
Update: Scott is scratched tonight.
“We’ve been working with him the last couple days,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll see. Everybody played well last (game). It depends on the mood ... Read the full article
Matt Ellis is playing on the Sabres’ fourth line. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Today’s NHL is too fast-paced to play two or three lines consistently, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. A balanced attack is needed.
“You need that fourth line to eat up some minutes for you,” Nolan said Wednesday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt against the Boston Bruins inside the First Niagara Center.
In the best performance by the Sabres’ fourth line in a long time, the hardworking combination of Kevin Porter... Read the full article
The Sabres sent Mark Pysyk down Tuesday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – OK, so defenseman Mark Pysyk won’t be accompanying the Rochester Americans to Switzerland for the Spengler Cup next week.
“He’ll be back when they leave,” interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
The Amerks leave Monday.
Nolan said Tuesday that Pysyk’s AHL assignment would be brief, although his words made it sound like the 21-year-old, an NHL regular all season, would be playing in the overseas tournament.... Read the full article
Drew Stafford (21) scraps with Winnipeg’s Grant Clitsome on Tuesday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Just a few weeks ago, if they had fallen behind after frittering away a strong start, the Sabres would’ve been cooked. Heck, they might’ve gotten run out of their own building.
But the bottom-feeding Sabres have slowly been improving under interim coach Ted Nolan. Their game is cleaner. Their efforts are much better. They’re finally responding to adversity.
Tuesday’s exciting 4-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets, the Sabres’ first triumph this season when ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk has played 31 NHL games this season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Mark Pysyk’s assignment to Rochester won’t last long, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. The rookie defenseman will be back after the Americans participate in the upcoming Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland.
Nolan said the steady Pysyk, one of the Sabres’ few bright spots this season, is capable of playing in the NHL right now.
“But is he at the mature level we think he can be? Not yet,” Nolan said Tuesday ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk was sent to Rochester today. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Mark Pysyk’s assignment to Rochester won’t last long, interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. The rookie defenseman will be back after the Americans participate in the upcoming Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland.
Nolan said the solid Pysyk, one of the Sabres’ few bright spots this season, is capable of playing in the NHL right now.
“But is he at the mature level we think he can be? Not yet,” Nolan said this ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk was scratched last game. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wants healthy competition between his defensemen. So with seven or eight at his disposal, the interim Sabres coach plans to keep tinkering until he finds the six he can play regularly.
Nolan hasn’t stopped evaluating a month into his tenure. That’s one reason Mark Pysyk, one of the NHL’s better rookie defenders, was scratched Saturday.
“Sometimes you like to take them out whenever they play a great game versus a ... Read the full article
Cody McCormick just returned to the lineup. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres forward Cody McCormick suffered an upper body injury blocking a shot in Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Calgary and will miss four to six weeks, interim coach Ted Nolan said Monday.
“One thing about doing what Cody does, unfortunately, sometimes that’s going to happen,” Nolan said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Winnipeg Jets inside the First Niagara Center. “He’s fearless. He puts himself in front of shots that ... Read the full article