Ovechkin - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres can’t stop Alex Ovechkin, fall to Capitals in OT

BUFFALO – Sooner or later, Alex Ovechkin had to break loose, right? Over two recent games, the Washington Capitals superstar pumped a whopping 18 shots on goal against the Sabres.

Thanks to Ryan Miller’s elite goaltending, the Sabres held the NHL’s most-lethal threat scoreless while winning two 2-1 shootouts.

Facing backup goalie Jhonas Enroth, Ovechkin caught fire early Tuesday, scoring at 3:39 and 4:42 inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres still hadn’t ... Read the full article

Goalie Ryan Miller still waiting to discuss future with Sabres’ new regime

BUFFALO – Ryan Miller appreciates Pat LaFontaine’s kind words. The hockey icon lauded his franchise goalie last week, telling reporters the Sabres would do their best to accommodate the former Vezina Trophy winner if he wants to stay here.

“It’s nice of him,” Miller, an unrestricted free agent following the season, said Saturday inside the Riverside Ice Rink. “I still need to kind of see what’s going on in the bigger picture.”

Miller said ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller dynamic in shootout win against Capitals

BUFFALO – Even after Ryan Miller’s scintillating, career-best 49-save performance in the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout victory against the Washington Capitals, the goalie wouldn’t vouch for a spot on Team USA’s Olympic squad.

“It’s not up to me,” the humble Miller, who also stopped all six Capitals in the shootout, said Sunday inside the First Niagara Center.

The United States’ entry for the upcoming Sochi Games will be named following Wednesday’s Winter Classic outdoor game in ... Read the full article

Sabres know stopping Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will be difficult

BUFFALO – In Alex Ovechkin’s world, this might qualify as a slump. The slick Washington Capitals winger hasn’t scored in his last two games.

Whoa!

Ovechkin, who will face the Sabres on Sunday, hasn’t gone three straight contests without a goal all season. The Russian already has 30 goals in 36 appearances.

How do you stop him?

“Those type of players … you don’t try to say they won’t get any chances because they ... Read the full article

Sabres blow another third-period lead, fall to Capitals in shootout

BUFFALO – An agitated Ron Rolston mostly offered short, vague answers to questions about the Sabres’ woes following a 4-3 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday before a capacity crowd of 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.

The reeling Sabres had just blown a 3-1 third-period lead, and the interim coach was in no mood to give any insight into their third straight loss.

A sampling:

Almost 20 games into his tenure, ... Read the full article

Knee injury will sideline Sabres’ Christian Ehrhoff indefinitely

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, who left Tuesday’s 5-1 win in Washington following a knee-on-knee collision with the Capitals’ Troy Brouwer, is out indefinitely.

Coach Lindy Ruff offered few details about the slick German’s left knee injury Wednesday, only saying the 29-year-old had been evaluated and would miss “some time.” He wouldn’t specify if it could be days or weeks. He said the injury news was better than he expected.

Mike Weber, a healthy ... Read the full article

Sabres’ ‘biggest game’ of season could vault them into playoff spot

BUFFALO – In reality, it’s a single game for the Sabres, one of 82 regular-season contests. Tonight’s anticipated eight-versus-nine tilt in Washington is potentially worth two points for them, just like any other game.

If the Sabres win, break their tie with the Capitals (84 points) and move into eighth place, they could quickly lose the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot again. Don’t forget, they stayed there less than a day after grabbing it Saturday.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Miller named March’s second star

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, who led the NHL with four wins thanks to a gaudy 1.26 goals-against average and .956 save percentage, has been named the league’s second star for the week ending March 25.

Miller allowed only five goals during the week and just two during his last three starts. He recorded his career-high sixth shutout in a 3-0 win Wednesday over Montreal.

“It’s not something you do on your own,” Miller ... Read the full article