Ristolainen - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo named NHL All-Star

BUFFALO – So far, just 38 games into his career here, Kyle Okposo has lived up to his billing as one of the NHL’s most underrated scorers. The winger has quietly been the Sabres’ most consistent forward, compiling 12 goals and 27 points, both team highs.

Okposo’s strong season was rewarded this afternoon with a spot in the NHL All-Star Game for the first time in his 10-year career. The Minnesota native will represent the ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Early-season concussions scared Jets’ Drew Stafford

BUFFALO – Drew Stafford’s season started ominously. In a Winnipeg Jets preseason game, the former Sabres winger suffered two injuries from one hit.

At first, Stafford thought the thump from Ottawa’s Michael Blunden had only hurt his shoulder.

“I also didn’t realize it at the time – I felt like I was OK – but I had some concussion symptoms early on then, because I hit my head and my shoulder into the boards,” Stafford ... Read the full article

Sabres’ offense struggling to score after hot stretch

BUFFALO – As expected, Jack Eichel’s return following a 21-game absence to begin the season has boosted the Sabres’ anemic offense.

In 15 games with their slick young center, the last-place Sabres have scored 39 goals, or 2.6 an outing, a decent number. By comparison, they scored only 38 goals, just 1.8 a contest, without him.

So Eichel’s presence has meant almost an extra goal a game entering tonight’s tilt against the New York Rangers, ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Tyler Ennis joins teammates on ice

BUFFALO – Without his explosiveness and the ability to juke opponents, speedy Sabres winger Tyler Ennis believes he’s “pretty useless out there.”

“I have to be able to use my agility, my speed, my quickness to create space,” Ennis said Thursday morning after skating with his teammates inside KeyBank Center.

Ennis, 27, couldn’t do any of that earlier this season. The longest-tenured Sabre said he felt something “gradually getting worse” in his groin. An examination ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dmitry Kulikov out against Bruins; Cody Franson set to return

BUFFALO – Back in June, when the Sabres acquired Dmitry Kulikov from the Florida Panthers, they envisioned the Russian as a minute-munching partner for No. 1 defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

Six months later, Kulikov, thanks to a lower-back injury he has battled all season, has had little or no impact in only 20 appearances.

The injury will sideline Kulikov, 26, again for tonight’s tilt against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.

“It’s something that Dmitry’s dealt ... Read the full article

Torrid stretch puts Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen in elite company

BUFFALO – The significance of defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen’s recent exploits shouldn’t be overshadowed by the Sabres’ disappointing season.

In the near future, if Ristolainen becomes an NHL All-Star or garners serious Norris Trophy consideration, remember the torrid run he is enjoying entering tonight’s tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes at KeyBank Center.

Ristolainen has three goals, two overtime winners and 14 points while averaging a whopping 27 minutes, 41 seconds of ice time over the last ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen’s overtime winner pushes Sabres past Islanders

BUFFALO – As Kyle Okposo started zooming up the ice on a long two-on-one in overtime Friday, the Sabres winger initially had one thought: shoot the puck.

But when Okposo hit the center red line, he spotted defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen racing into the play from behind.

“I knew I was giving it to him at that point,” Okposo said following the Sabres’ 3-2 comeback win against the New York Islanders, his former team he faced ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo couldn’t wait to face Islanders

BUFFALO – Months ago, coach Dan Bylsma and Kyle Okposo talked about different scenarios for the Sabres’ big offseason acquisition in the upcoming season.

Bylsma said he wanted Okposo, 28, to understand he didn’t have to carry the load after signing a seven-year, $42 million contract.

During that conversation, Bylsma said Okposo only talked about one game on the 2016-17 schedule – Friday’s tilt against the New York Islanders, the winger’s first meeting against ... Read the full article

Top Sabres could keep seeing fewer minutes

BUFFALO – Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly averages more ice time than any NHL forward – 21 minutes, 50 seconds a game – but the workhorse skated a season-low 17:08 in Tuesday’s 6-3 win against Los Angeles.

Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, meanwhile, averages a team-high 26:39 a game, yet only skated 22:04 on Tuesday, his second-lowest total this season.

What happened? A few things.

For starters, the Sabres didn’t kill any penalties and has only one ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo excited to face Islanders

BUFFALO – A reflective Kyle Okposo couldn’t stop smiling this morning talking about the New York Islanders, a team he said he “grew up” with for nine years.

Okposo, who signed a seven-year, $42 million contract with the Sabres on July 1, will face his old team for the first time tonight.

“I left there and I was a veteran guy, I was one of the guys that had been there the longest,” an excited ... Read the full article