Philadelphia Flyers - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres down to five defensemen after Tyler Myers’ season-ending leg injury

BUFFALO – With 2:17 left in the second period of Thursday’s dismal 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers absorbed P.K. Subban’s wicked one-timer from the point with his leg.

After blocking the lethal shot, Myers hobbled off seconds later when the Canadiens converted their five-on-three power play.

The 23-year-old finished the game, though, skating 25:37, his third-highest total this season, while blocking a game-high four shots.

Following the contest, Myers found ... Read the full article

Sabres could turn to Enroth again following strong effort

BUFFALO – Tonight in Philadelphia, Jhonas Enroth will take a backseat to goalie Ryan Miller again, a place the backup is well accustomed to.

With Miller entrenched as the franchise netminder and Enroth struggling, the 24-year-old has only played sporadically this lockout-shortened season.

The original plan called for Enroth to spell Miller regularly, start about 10 or 12 of the 48 games. So far, 25 tilts into the season, the Swede has only earned three ... Read the full article

Thomas Vanek’s career day pushes Sabres past Flyers in opener

BUFFALO – It was as if nine months hadn’t passed. One game into a new season, the Sabres kept exorcising their old demons, picking up where they left off last winter and spring during an exciting 5-2 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday inside a noisy First Niagara Center.

Thomas Vanek enjoyed an opening day that will forever live in Sabres lore, recording two goals and a career-high five points to start the lockout-shortened ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko, Steve Ott impress in Sabres debuts

BUFFALO – Ten minutes after the Sabres’ 5-2 opening-day win over the Philadelphia Flyers had ended, Steve Ott was still thinking about that nifty chance beside the net slick rookie center Mikhail Grigorenko had created for him.

Sure, Ott was excited about his power-play goal that opened the scoring just 11:07 into his Sabres debut. But the opportunity that had gotten away was still playing inside his head at bit.

“I kind of feel bad. ... Read the full article

Your Sabres pregame update

BUFFALO – All seems forgiven. The hockey-deprived Sabres fans look amped for this afternoon’s season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. Thanks to the NHL 113-day lockout, it’s been 288 days since the Sabres last played a game.

Right now, however, it feels like the NHL never left. The First Niagara Center will be packed and jumping today. Fans spent the week gobbling up discounted merchandise and wondering if 18-year-old Mikhail Grigorenko could crack the lineup ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Regier receives extension; Pegula apologizes for lockout

BUFFALO – To his supporters, Darcy Regier’s a victim. Poor ownership handcuffed the general manager multiple times. Look at the Sabres teams he built, they say. The 1998-99 club came within two games of the Stanley Cup. Two dynamic post-lockout teams also nearly won it all.

If he had been given more tools or just some help re-signing his own talent, who knows how far the Sabres could’ve gone?

Regier’s detractors believe he should’ve been ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Leino questionable for opener; Grigorenko set for debut

BUFFALO – The Sabres have their first injury of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

“A nagging little” problem that flared up kept Ville Leino from practicing Saturday, coach Lindy Ruff said.

The winger’s questionable for this afternoon’s season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers inside the First Niagara Center.

Leino, who left practice early Friday, plans to skate this morning before making a decision. It’s believed he’s nursing a leg injury.

“If he feels like he’s good, ... Read the full article

Ruff hopes Sabres write their own special postseason story

BUFFALO – Having survived so long and stared down elimination so many times recently, a sense of destiny accompanies the Sabres’ unlikely charge toward the postseason. Six months and 80 games into the season, they’ve refused to die.

Lindy Ruff hopes the Sabres’ story gets to be told like all those other celebrated longshot playoff teams.

“There’s a lot of great stories in sports about teams making it the last day,” the coach said Wednesday ... Read the full article

Sabres mum on Myers’ injured foot

BUFFALO – Star Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers, who hurt his foot blocking a shot Friday, is wearing a walking boot and out at least the last two regular-season games.

Is the foot broken?

“He’s got a bad foot, yeah,” was all Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday after practice inside the First Niagara Center.

Myers didn’t make the trip to Philadelphia for tonight’s contest against the Flyers.

When asked if Myers could return if the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ anemic offense could become team’s worst ever

“I’m sure that again we’ll finish the year around (240 goals).” – Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, December 15, 2011

“I guarantee you it’ll come again. It always has.” – Ruff on his anemic offense, January 23

BUFFALO – Not long ago, Ruff could speak confidently because the post-lockout Sabres had always found ways to score. They annually overcame any struggles and ranked among the NHL’s slickest attacks, averaging 256 goals a year.

But the ... Read the full article