Peterka - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres wingers JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch starring at World Championship

In the second period of Team Germany’s 5-0 victory Tuesday, JJ Peterka roared through the neutral zone before splitting two Team France defenders and slickly scoring his fourth goal of the World Championship.

Peterka, who recently completed his rookie season with the Buffalo Sabres, has enjoyed a stellar tournament, recording a team-high nine points and a plus-eight rating in seven games. Right now, the winger’s tied for third in tournament scoring.

The Sabres, of course, ... Read the full article

After taste of NHL, Sabres goalie Devon Levi returns to school, plays for Canada

BUFFALO – When Sabres goalie Devon Levi returned to Northeastern last month to finish the semester, coach Jerry Keefe chatted with his former player one day in the Huskies’ lounge.

Levi, 21, had just made the difficult jump from college hockey to the NHL, winning five of his seven starts as the Sabres made a memorable push and fell one victory shy of earning a playoff berth.

It’s not unusual for teams to award forwards ... Read the full article

After season of massive growth, Sabres’ Dylan Cozens can reach higher level

BUFFALO – Sabres center Dylan Cozens scored 31 goals despite missing about three or four opportunities a game to generate more chances, coach Don Granato said.

So consider the potential that Cozens, 22, still possesses coming off a breakout season. Granato told him last month there’s a whole lot more he can do.

“He told me that he doesn’t think I’m anywhere close to the player I can be,” Cozens said April 16 as the ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Jiri Kulich stars again as Amerks roar back to tie series

ROCHESTER – Before the Americans began the Calder Cup Playoffs, coach Seth Appert told rookie Jiri Kulich to prepare for his first taste of postseason hockey as a pro.

So Appert had Kulich, 19, watch a Stanley Cup Playoffs game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. Then Appert challenged the Buffalo Sabres prospect to study the action as he sat out the Amerks’ first two games recovering from a lower-body injury.

“You ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch excited to represent Team USA with brother, Luke

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Alex Tuch is almost six years older than his brother, Luke, so they’ve never had an opportunity to play together on the same hockey team.

That, however, is about to change.

Tuch, 26, said Saturday that he and his brother will be representing Team USA at the World Championship in Latvia. The tournament opens May 12 in Finland and Latvia.

... Read the full article

At 18, Sabres prospect Jiri Kulich having ‘remarkable’ season in Rochester

ROCHESTER – Americans rookie Jiri Kulich positioned himself in the right circle during a power play, and when Ethan Prow adroitly delivered a pass into his wheelhouse, he quickly unleashed a wicked one-timer.

Kulich, 18, laughed a bit as he recalled his late tying goal, his team-leading 22nd score, in last Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Cleveland Monsters.

As the Czech forward developed into a coveted prospect the Buffalo Sabres would draft 28th overall... Read the full article

Rookie Devon Levi wows in NHL debut, backstops Sabres to OT win

BUFFALO – At the 18:30 mark of Friday’s second period, the New York Rangers penetrated the Sabres’ unusually stingy defense, generating a prime scoring opportunity on goalie Devon Levi.

To that point, Levi, 21, had seen little action – he faced just two shots in the first period – during his highly anticipated NHL debut.

Prior to the Sabres’ thrilling 3-2 overtime win, coach Don Granato said he believed the rookie’s presence would force his ... Read the full article

Extra forwards, not performance, led to Sabres’ Tyson Jost getting scratched

BUFFALO – When coach Don Granato scratched Tyson Jost last week, he said he told the center the Sabres hadn’t lost their belief in him.

Of course, it would be understandable if Jost, a waiver claim in November, thought the worst. The Sabres are his third team since late last season. He knows what it’s like to lose a coach’s trust.

But Granato said he wanted “to reassure him that this decision is not rooted ... Read the full article

Predators’ Rasmus Asplund knows he did not do enough to keep spot with Sabres

BUFFALO – As the season dragged on and Rasmus Asplund remained a spare part, he would often talk to Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Don Granato about his uncertain future.

For a year and a half, Asplund, 25, had enjoyed regular duty. Last season, the Swede emerged as a dependable two-way forward while playing a career-high 80 games.

The Sabres, however, beefed up their forward depth this season, adding rookies JJ Peterka and ... Read the full article

Sabres fall behind early, get clobbered by Bruins: ‘We believe we’re still in it’

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ regression over the past three weeks has been startling. After positioning themselves to compete for their first playoff spot in 12 years, they’ve imploded, dropping nine of their last 11 games.

The Sabres aren’t just losing; opponents are annihilating them. Sunday afternoon’s ugly 7-0 loss to the Boston Bruins marked the third time in their last 10 outings they’ve allowed seven or more goals and lost by at least six.

Since ... Read the full article