Power - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Injured Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin having difficult time sitting out; Jack Quinn could play soon

BUFFALO – On Thursday, a day off for the struggling Sabres, injured captain Rasmus Dahlin and Lindy Ruff had what the coach called “a long conversation” about the team.

Dahlin has missed the last four games after suffering back spasms Dec. 3. The Sabres’ top defenseman skated on his own again Friday and is progressing, according to Ruff.

Still, the Swede has been a bystander as the Sabres’ losing streak reached eight games, and it’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ losing streak hits eight games; Owen Power, JJ Peterka benched

BUFFALO – If you’re counting, after Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers, the Sabres have six-one goal losses during their bizarre eight-game skid.

They’ve blown multi-goal leads and had a couple of wretched outings over the last two weeks. Still, during a stunning stretch in which they’ve lost seven times at home following a 3-0-0 trip to California, they’ve played well enough to win several games.

“What, six one-goal games?” said Sabres winger ... Read the full article

Injured captain Rasmus Dahlin misses game; Sabres make roster move

BUFFALO – The good news for the Sabres is captain Rasmus Dahlin, their top defenseman, shouldn’t be sidelined for long after leaving Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche with back spasms.

“I think that should be short-term, but you never know,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said prior to Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets in KeyBank Center.

Dahlin, who averages a team-high 24 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time per game, missed ... Read the full article

Sabres’ UPL, Tage Thompson won’t play versus Flyers; Jordan Greenway injured

BUFFALO – In Tage Thompson’s absence against the St. Louis Blues, centers Ryan McLeod and Dylan Cozens picked up the slack for the Sabres’ leading scorer.

McLeod scored once and created linemate Alex Tuch’s late tying goal in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win by deftly feeding him from behind the net.

Earlier in the third period, Cozens knocked down Oskar Sundqvist before racing to the net and converting a rebound. While officials overturned the goal because ... Read the full article

As Sabres struggle, Lindy Ruff wants to raise standard: ‘OK … not good enough’

BUFFALO – If you examine each loss during the Sabres’ current three-game skid, sure, positives can be found.

On Friday, they opened the scoring against the New York Islanders and staged a late comeback. Last Monday, they roared back from a two-goal deficit versus the Florida Panthers.

In Saturday’s 2-1 loss in Detroit, they grabbed an early lead and outshot the Red Wings.

What do the 4-7-1 Sabres have to show for those games? Nothing.... Read the full article

Dylan Cozens scores early, but mistakes doom Sabres in loss to Islanders

BUFFALO – The New York Islanders limped into town in a tailspin, having lost three straight games and scored just one goal in their last eight periods. They departed Friday filled with confidence after handing the Sabres a troubling 4-3 defeat.

Following two season-opening losses, the Sabres had found a groove, compiling a 4-2-1 mark in their next seven games. Sure, they hardly set the NHL on fire, but in these parts, a record like ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Owen Power piling up points during fast start

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ best defensemen through their first 10 games this season is also their youngest.

Owen Power, who turns 22 on Nov. 22, has quietly enjoyed the fastest start of his short career. Entering Tuesday’s schedule, his eight even-strength points ranked fourth among NHL defensemen.

Right now, he has a career-long five-game point streak in which he has recorded one goal and seven points. He also has a career-best four-game assist streak. He ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Rasmus Dahlin feeling like himself; Nicolas Aube-Kubel set to return from injury

BUFFALO – It’s pretty easy to tell when Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is playing at his best. Look for him to be smiling and laughing.

“That’s when it’s more freedom out there, no thinking and I move my feet,” Dahlin said following Sunday’s practice in KeyBank Center.

In the weeks after Dahlin, 24, returned from a mid-body injury he suffered minutes into the first session of training camp – he mentioned he injured his back ... Read the full article

Tage Thompson playing like superstar, helps Sabres beat Red Wings

BUFFALO – A strong argument can be made the past week or two ranks as the most significant stretch of Tage Thompson’s four-year run as the Sabres’ top center.

His gaudy statistics are just part of it, mind you. After scoring two goals and three points in Saturday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings, he has recorded six goals and 10 points during his six-game point streak.

Right now, Thompson, who has a ... Read the full article

Tage Thompson backs up words, scores late to help Sabres beat Stars

BUFFALO – On the bench in the third period, as the Sabres began playing a little too conservative for coach Lindy Ruff’s liking, center Tage Thompson urged his teammates to hit the accelerator again.

A 2-0 lead can vanish in a hurry, especially against a heavyweight opponent like the Dallas Stars. Ruff, of course, wants his players to keep playing aggressively when they’re ahead, a message Thompson relayed.

“He was the one guy on the ... Read the full article