O'Reilly - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres rookie Jake McCabe knows late-season experience valuable

PITTSBURGH – Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe understands how valuable the late-season NHL experience rookies Hudson Fasching and Casey Nelson have been gaining will be for their development.

Two years ago, McCabe, 22, left the University of Wisconsin following his junior year. McCabe loved college and wanted to stay with the Badgers. Still, as a former second-round pick ready for pro hockey, he knew he needed to join the Sabres.

“It made too much sense ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evander Kane out against Penguins; Ryan O’Reilly to play left wing

PITTSBURGH – With Buffalo Sabres winger Evander Kane sidelined for tonight’s tilt against the Penguins, coach Dan Bylsma will shuffle his lines, moving No. 1 center Ryan O’Reilly to the left wing beside pivot Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.

The Sabres’ new “super line” has 62 total goals this season. No one else in the lineup has more than 10.

Bylsma said forward Cal O’Reilly, a healthy scratch the last two games, will return. ... Read the full article

Early Hudson Fasching goal helps Sabres beat Jets

BUFFALO – Prior to his NHL debut Saturday afternoon, Sabres winger Hudson Fasching told his family and friends he wouldn’t know what to do if he scored a goal in his first game.

The affable Fasching, who always seems to be bursting with energy, joked he might “blackout on adrenaline.”

“That was almost the case,” a smiling Fasching said after scoring a nifty goal 8:37 into the Sabres’ exciting 3-2 comeback win against the Winnipeg ... Read the full article

Sabres rookies Hudson Fasching, Casey Nelson set to debut

BUFFALO – Somewhere in Minnesota earlier today, the Fasching family was probably anxiously waiting for Sabres rookie Hudson Fasching to phone home with some special news.

“I think they’re kind of ready if they get the call,” Fasching said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.

Minutes after Fasching spoke, following a chat with Sabres coach Dan Bylsma, he likely called his parents to tell them he would be making his NHL debut Saturday afternoon ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nick Deslauriers savors each goal

TORONTO – As a third- or fourth-liner known more for his fists than his soft hands, gritty Buffalo Sabres winger Nick Deslauriers has endured some long goal droughts.

While the likable Deslauriers scored his career-high sixth goal in Friday’s 3-1 home win against the Ottawa Senators, he has only 12 in his 160-game career. After scoring three times in the first 11 games this season, the former defenseman went 41 appearances before finally scoring again ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Jack Eichel out with flu

TORONTO – The flu will force Buffalo Sabres rookie Jack Eichel to miss his first NHL game tonight, coach Dan Bylsma said.

To replace the center against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, the Sabres have recalled rookie winger Dan Catenacci from the Rochester Americans. Cal O’Reilly will move to center, Bylsma said.

Eichel, 19, finished Friday’s 3-1 home win against the Ottawa Senators, recording as assist, his 49^th point.

“It didn’t come on until ... Read the full article

Sam Reinhart hits 20-goal mark in Sabres’ win over Senators

BUFFALO – The significance should be noted. For the first time in 41 years and only the third time in franchise history, two Sabres rookies – Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart – have scored 20 goals.

The 20-goal mark has long been a standard in hockey. In this low-scoring era, the milestone has an increased importance.

Just months into their NHL careers, the youngsters drafted second overall and charged with leading the Sabres back to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian playing aggressively again

BUFFALO – The burst might be the surest sign Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian has recaptured his confident, slick style following months of mostly conservative play.

In recent weeks, inevitably a few times a game, Bogosian will grab the puck, and, like few players can, start zooming around the ice.

Bogosian, 25, has been playing his best and most aggressive hockey this season, logging big minutes and piling up points.

“I’ve been feeling confident the last ... Read the full article

Sabres lose cool in overtime loss to Canadiens

BUFFALO – Thirty minutes before the Sabres’ feisty 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, goalies Robin Lehner and Ben Scrivens chatted amicably at center ice during pregame warm-ups.

But by about 9 p.m., as chaos enveloped his crease at the end of a penalty-filled second period, the fiery Sabres goalie wanted to see Scrivens, someone he called “a good guy off the ice,” again.

Seconds after Montreal’s Michael McCarron punched Lehner after ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Robin Lehner likes idea of smaller goalie equipment

BUFFALO – At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Robin Lehner’s the NHL’s biggest goalie.

Sure, a few are taller than the Sabres’ new starter. Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop, for example, is 6-foot-7 but weighs 31 fewer pounds than his former AHL teammate.

Lehner, of course, looks huge in his net. But so do a lot of other goalies much smaller than the Swede.

“There’s guys out there that weigh 160 pounds (who are) not that tall ... Read the full article