Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Team impressed with HarborCenter

BUFFALO – Instead of dressing at the First Niagara Center and busing to the Riverside Ice Rink or another local facility Thursday, the Sabres simply put on their sandals or sneakers and walked across the street in their uniforms to HarborCenter, the new $170 million facility that opened earlier this fall.

Practicing outside the First Niagara Center is no longer a hassle. Naturally, the Sabres’ first session inside the sparkling facility had a huge “wow” ... Read the full article

Sabres send Mikhail Grigorenko back to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres sent center Mikhail Grigorenko back to the Rochester Americans today.

The 20-year-old Russian was pointless in 16 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, his first NHL game since Nov. 27, 2013.

Grigorenko, the No. 12 pick in 2012, has seven goals and 19 points in 27 AHL games this season. The Amerks host the Syracuse Crunch tonight.

The Sabres don’t play until Saturday, ... Read the full article

Change of scenery: Sabres trade Luke Adam to Blue Jackets for Jerry D’Amigo

BUFFALO – As a rookie three years ago, Luke Adam was a top prospect and budding star for the Sabres. The forward quickly became a Calder Trophy candidate, scoring three goals and six points in his first four games.

Adam, who often centered stars Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek, scored his 10^th goal and 20^th point in his 32^nd game in 2011-12.

He never recorded another point that season.

By early that ... Read the full article

Sabres acquire Jerry D’Amigo from Blue Jackets for Luke Adam

BUFFALO – In a trade of AHL forwards, the Sabres today acquired Jerry D’Amigo from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Luke Adam.

D’Amigo has been assigned to the Rochester Americans.

“We feel that this was a good deal that gave both teams a player they were looking for,” Sabres general manager Tim Murray said in a statement. “Jerry brings a tremendous work ethic to our organization and we know he’ll have an immediate impact ... Read the full article

Sabres rally again, beat Senators in shootout

BUFFALO – Monday’s exciting 5-4 come-from-behind shootout victory against the Ottawa Senators extended the Sabres’ winning streak to four games. That’s 10 triumphs in their last 13 games. The surging team has rallied from third-period deficits in five of its last six wins.

In one month, the Sabres have morphed from a hapless team destined to finish last again into a legitimate playoff contender.

“We got something special going,” said Sabres center Marcus Foligno, who ... Read the full article

Sabres could have healthy defense corps tonight

BUFFALO – When the Sabres began their skate this morning, instead of a having a fresh body on the ice up from Rochester, Josh Gorges and Andrej Meszaros, the two defensemen injured Saturday, were practicing fully.

Defenseman Tyson Strachan, out the last four games, was also skating.

Seven defensemen will likely take the warm-up prior to tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres have some game-time decisions, but no ... Read the full article

Nikita Zadorov’s overtime goal puts Sabres past Panthers

BUFFALO – For much of the Sabres’ exciting 4-3 overtime victory against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, the young defense tandem of Rasmus Ristolainen, 20, and Nikita Zadorov, 19, struggled badly.

Up 2-0 early in the second period, Ristolainen coughed up the puck and the Panthers scored off of Zadorov’s skate. They tied it minutes later with the youngsters on the ice again.

“You don’t belittle, and you don’t blame them,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Chris Stewart doesn’t want to discuss benching

BUFFALO – Instead of walking into the dressing room following a long skate Tuesday morning, struggling Sabres winger Chris Stewart veered off and undressed somewhere else.

A few minutes later, a staff member wheeled in Stewart’s equipment on a shopping cart and placed it in his locker.

Clearly, Stewart, a healthy scratch for the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings, wasn’t in the mood to discuss his benching.

“All players have to play ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nikita Zadorov would be happy in NHL or with Russia

BUFFALO – Naturally, Russia recently put Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov on its preliminary roster for the upcoming world junior championship. The country has nothing to lose by adding the 19-year-old’s name.

The Sabres, of course, can keep Zadorov if they want.

But would they actually let Zadorov, who skates more than 20 minutes some nights beside Rasmus Ristolainen, join his country for the tournament?

“I just read it for the first time myself that ... Read the full article

Jean Beliveau still greatly influences Sabres’ Josh Gorges

BUFFALO – Josh Gorges considers himself old school. He believes defensemen should wear single-digit numbers. So after sporting No. 26 with the Montreal Canadiens for years, the veteran wanted a low number when the Sabres acquired him.

Gorges had a couple of choices. He settled on No. 4, partly because iconic Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau, who died Tuesday at age 83, wore it during his illustrious Hall of Fame career.

Beliveau is hockey royalty.

“What ... Read the full article