O'Reilly - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres rookie Jack Eichel learning NHL game

BUFFALO – Coach Dan Bylsma isn’t sure what sparked it. Perhaps it was Jack Eichel’s secondary assist on the first goal Saturday in Boston. Or maybe it was the slick center’s tying score late in the Sabres’ thrilling 6-3 comeback win against the Bruins, the rookie’s first NHL game in his hometown.

Whatever happened, for the first time in a while, Bylsma said, Eichel simply enjoyed playing and “not carrying the weight of having to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Sam Reinhart improved game quickly

BUFFALO – The improvements, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said, have been “drastic.” In a matter of months, winger Sam Reinhart has transformed himself from a raw prospect into a first-line NHL talent.

Reinhart, of course, possessed supreme hockey intelligence when the Sabres drafted him second overall in 2014. Now, the rookie, 20, has developed the physical tools to compliment his strong mind.

“You have to give him a lot of credit for his diligent work,” ... Read the full article

Sabres blow late lead, lose shootout to Blackhawks

BUFFALO – Ten minutes after the Sabres’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks ended Saturday afternoon, center Ryan O’Reilly looked inconsolable.

“It’s embarrassing, pathetic and it’s not good enough,” O’Reilly said quietly.

Minutes earlier, with the Sabres down three men and clinging to a 2-1 lead, O’Reilly had nearly sealed the game, narrowly missing an empty net from his own blue line.

The Blackhawks then seized their fresh opportunity during a frantic finish, getting ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson showcasing calm style

BUFFALO – On the ice, despite the chaos that often develops around his crease, Sabres goalie Chad Johnson usually showcases a cool demeanor.

When Johnson’s dialed in – and that’s been nearly all season – he can almost make hockey’s toughest position look easy. The veteran, 29, often reads plays and shots perfectly, making difficult saves look routine.

Johnson mostly tends goal calmly.

“I’ve always been a guy that sort of keeps things simple,” Johnson ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis ready to play

BUFFALO – Some quick updates from HarborCenter, where the Sabres practiced today without ace defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who enjoyed a maintenance day.

– Winger Tyler Ennis, out the last 12 games with an upper-body injury, will return Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres’ last game before Christmas.

Ennis, who hasn’t played since Nov. 23, wanted to get back before the Sabres’ five-day break.

“You never want to wait because you’re competitive ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson shines in shutout win over Ducks

BUFFALO – Chad Johnson will garner the headlines from the Sabres’ 3-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks, and he should. The goalie dazzled Thursday, stopping a career-high 44 shots, a franchise-record for a shutout.

But the Sabres received contributions throughout the lineup in their third win in four games and 14th overall this season.

The fourth line, so bad last game, was the Sabres’ best trio for chunks of the night, creating defenseman’s Jake McCabe’s ... Read the full article

Chris Stewart has mixed memories of Sabres tenure

BUFFALO – Former Sabres winger Chris Stewart jogged his memory a little, all the way back to last season, the most tumultuous of his eight years in the NHL.

“What was the phrase they were using,” Stewart asked Wednesday after his new team, the Anaheim Ducks, practiced, “‘Tank for McEichel?’”

Yes, that’s the correct one, Chris.

Coming to the rink every day quickly became a difficult experience for Stewart in 2014-15. He learned firsthand winning ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Moulson mired in long scoring slump

BUFFALO – Given the Sabres dramatically improved their roster this season, 20 or 25 goals seemed reasonable for winger Matt Moulson following two down years.

Heck, with two creative centers like rookie Jack Eichel and Ryan O’Reilly available to feed him the puck, even 30 scores, a big number Moulson hit three straight seasons in Long Island skating beside superstar John Tavares, looked attainable.

So much for those thoughts. Moulson, 32, is battling a career-long ... Read the full article

Sabres generate little, get blanked by Devils

BUFFALO – New Devils regime. Same boring style.

Some things never change.

Even with Lou Lamoriello, the architect of those highly successful but oh-so-dull New Jersey teams, now 480 miles away from Newark running the Toronto Maple Leafs, his legacy lives on.

The Devils haven’t changed much under new general manager Ray Shero and coach John Hynes. They still suck the life out of the game, patiently wait for opportunities and then sit on the ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Johan Larsson relieved to score first goal

BUFFALO – When Johan Larsson scored his first goal this season Monday, the winner with 3:13 left in the Sabres’ 2-1 comeback victory in Detroit, coach Dan Bylsma couldn’t quite read the center’s body language.

“Whether he was happy, relieved, matter of fact,” Bylsma said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 2-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils. “I know he’s been pressing for a while now not having scored. To get that one and to ... Read the full article