WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
January Edition
Zemgus Girgensons sat out two games last week. ©2017, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons played 301 NHL games over nearly four and a half seasons before experiencing his first benching.
Naturally, sitting twice as a healthy scratch last week felt unusual for Girgensons, who has zero goals in his last 20 outings.
“I’ve been there injured, but it was definitely different being scratched, not a good feeling,” Girgensons said this morning. “It makes you feel a little bit useless, you always want to ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner has played three straight games. ©2017, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It’s no coincidence the Sabres’ first three-game point streak this trying season materialized with perhaps Robin Lehner’s best stretch of goaltending.
Lehner dazzled during the Sabres’ 1-0-2 road run, stopping 125 of the 133 shots he faced, an average of 42 saves a night.
With a little luck or a few stronger minutes here or there, the Sabres could’ve won all three tilts.... Read the full article
The Sabres have used their current logo since 2010-11. ©2017, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald
The Buffalo Sabres are one of 12 NHL teams that will make changes to their uniform next season, according to sportslogos.net.
Don’t, however, expect a big overhaul. The changes could be as small as a few tweaks. The Sabres will keep their primary logo.
The changes will come with the NHL’s switch from Reebok to Adidas as their jersey manufacturer in 2017-18.
The Sabres have worn their current blue home jersey with the charging ... Read the full article
Josh Gorges believes the Sabres have enough talent to make the playoffs. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – To witness the Sabres’ blueprint for success, go back to the first 20 minutes of Saturday’s 3-1 win in Toronto, a period in which they jumped out to a 3-0 lead by playing fast and hard against the Maple Leafs.
“If you look at the first period in Toronto, we didn’t do anything special,” Sabres goalie Robin Lehner said Monday inside KeyBank Center.
The Sabres dictated the pace by pouncing on loose pucks. ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel had a costly miscue in Sunday’s loss. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – No teammate, Sabres goalie Robin Lehner said, was singled out during his passionate postgame chat following Sunday’s disappointing 4-2 loss to Vancouver.
“We all, starting with myself, got to take more responsibility,” Lehner said Monday inside KeyBank Center. “It’s not certain lines, it’s not certain people.”
Still, some of Lehner’s words Sunday – “Let’s do another deke, let’s do another play … let’s do the fancy thing,” he said – seemed to be ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner (40) makes a save on Ottawa’s Kyle Turris on Saturday. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Robin Lehner, of course, always downplays it. Still, it’s hardly a secret the Sabres goalie loves facing his former team, the Ottawa Senators.
Sabres coach Dan Bylsma has mentioned the twinkle Lehner gets in his eye. And the Swede’s statistics against the Senators illustrate the tilts mean a little more.
Clearly, Lehner, who was traded to the Sabres for a first-round pick in 2015, wants to prove the Senators made a ... Read the full article
Josh Gorges had a hard time sitting out. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The badgering has finally stopped. Josh Gorges is healthy, back playing after a hip injury cost him 12 games. So Sabres coach Dan Bylsma can walk by the defenseman again without getting an earful.
“Josh has been one miserable guy to be around,” Bylsma said Saturday morning. “I don’t walk by him without him saying he’s ready to play, and that was about 15 days ago.”
Gorges, 32, played in Saturday’s 4-0 win ... Read the full article
Nick Deslauriers has played three positions. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – After playing center for the first time in Thursday’s 2-1 overtime loss, defenseman-turned-winger Nick Deslauriers is ready to tackle another position for the Sabres.
“I’m waiting to see if I need to stack the pads in practice soon, just to have that on my resume,” the versatile Deslauriers joked this morning inside KeyBank Center. “Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad to be like that.”
Deslauriers became a winger in 2013-14 after starting his ... Read the full article
Josh Gorges has been battling an odd hip problem. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The badgering has finally stopped. Josh Gorges is healthy, ready to return from a hip injury that cost him the last 12 games. So Sabres coach Dan Bylsma can walk by the defenseman again without getting an earful.
“Josh has been one miserable guy to be around,” Bylsma, who has called Gorges “crusty,” said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “I don’t walk by him without him saying he’s ready to play, and that ... Read the full article
Jake McCabe (29) missed five games. ©2017, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – For weeks, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said, defenseman Josh Gorges “has been one miserable guy to be around.”
“I don’t walk by him without him saying he’s ready to play, and that was about 15 days ago,” Bylsma said this morning inside KeyBank Center.
Gorges, out the last 12 games with a hip injury, can finally stop badgering Bylsma. He will return tonight against the Ottawa Senators. So will defenseman Jake McCabe, ... Read the full article