Okposo - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Stunned Sabres blow early lead, lose critical game to Bruins

BUFFALO – Ten minutes after Thursday’s demoralizing 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, the anger and shock that accompanies blowing a two-goal lead hadn’t worn off. As some stunned Sabres spoke quietly, cursing from a restricted area behind the dressing room occasionally erupted.

It was that kind of loss for the Sabres, a team already fighting for its playoff life.

The Sabres, slow starters all season, pounced on the Bruins, playing perhaps their best hockey ... Read the full article

Torrid stretch puts Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen in elite company

BUFFALO – The significance of defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen’s recent exploits shouldn’t be overshadowed by the Sabres’ disappointing season.

In the near future, if Ristolainen becomes an NHL All-Star or garners serious Norris Trophy consideration, remember the torrid run he is enjoying entering tonight’s tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes at KeyBank Center.

Ristolainen has three goals, two overtime winners and 14 points while averaging a whopping 27 minutes, 41 seconds of ice time over the last ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen’s overtime winner pushes Sabres past Islanders

BUFFALO – As Kyle Okposo started zooming up the ice on a long two-on-one in overtime Friday, the Sabres winger initially had one thought: shoot the puck.

But when Okposo hit the center red line, he spotted defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen racing into the play from behind.

“I knew I was giving it to him at that point,” Okposo said following the Sabres’ 3-2 comeback win against the New York Islanders, his former team he faced ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo couldn’t wait to face Islanders

BUFFALO – Months ago, coach Dan Bylsma and Kyle Okposo talked about different scenarios for the Sabres’ big offseason acquisition in the upcoming season.

Bylsma said he wanted Okposo, 28, to understand he didn’t have to carry the load after signing a seven-year, $42 million contract.

During that conversation, Bylsma said Okposo only talked about one game on the 2016-17 schedule – Friday’s tilt against the New York Islanders, the winger’s first meeting against ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo excited to face Islanders

BUFFALO – A reflective Kyle Okposo couldn’t stop smiling this morning talking about the New York Islanders, a team he said he “grew up” with for nine years.

Okposo, who signed a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Sabres on July 1, will face his old team for the first time tonight.

“I left there and I was a veteran guy, I was one of the guys that had been there the longest,” an excited ... Read the full article

Ryan O’Reilly ignites Sabres in comeback win over Kings

BUFFALO – For almost 30 minutes Tuesday, KeyBank Center felt like, well, just about every other Sabres home game this season.

The 18,375 fans barely made a peep as the home team, as it often does, generated little offense and fell behind 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings.

Those goals irked Ryan O’Reilly, especially the first one, a nifty score in which Kings star Anze Kopitar blew by the Sabres center.

“I was just getting ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Kings’ Jordan Nolan speaks up about Standing Rock

BUFFALO – As a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings, Jordan Nolan’s hockey fame has brought him some influence in the First Nations community.

“We’re in a position where a lot of young Native men look up to us,” Nolan said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 6-3 win against the Kings inside KeyBank Center. “We’re role models, so I think we have to take that pretty seriously.”

So Nolan, 27, and teammate ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian nearing return; Goalie Robin Lehner to start

BUFFALO – It was just an innocent play. Early in the Sabres’ 2-1 loss to Minnesota on Nov. 1, defenseman Zach Bogosian said he pinched down in the offensive zone.

“I just caught a rut and my knee just kind of went in,” Bogosian said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “It was kind of a freak thing. … Sometimes the ice will get you. Unfortunately, my knee kind of went the wrong way.”

Bogosian, who ... Read the full article

Sabres’ standing still weak

BUFFALO – Somewhere in KeyBank Center, Dan Bylsma has the NHL standings posted prominently – “On purpose,” the coach noted – so the Sabres can look at them.

“We have a good understanding and a good idea of where we’re at in the standings right now,” Bylsma said this afternoon inside KeyBank Center. “So don’t over obsess about it, but I want it to be something that’s prominent for our players (to) have a good ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie William Carrier skating with top talents

BUFFALO – When William Carrier earns ice time flanking center Ryan O’Reilly and a top winger, the Sabres rookie has a straightforward assignment to help his talented linemates.

“He’s just going, head down, bruising the way for those guys to get pucks and play with that puck,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.

That means goals haven’t been priority for the 6-foot-2, 212-pound Carrier, who has scored just once in his first 17 NHL games.

“That’s ... Read the full article