Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres plan recalls; Brian Gionta and Torrey Mitchell practice

BUFFALO – About halfway through practice this morning, Sabres general manager Tim Murray walked onto the bench and began talking to coach Ted Nolan. Minutes later, the two walked down the tunnel.

What was going on? A GM rarely talks to a coach mid-practice. It’s even rarer for the coach to leave the ice.

Nolan returned to the ice a few minutes later. Following practice, he said the two discussed some recalls for the reeling, ... Read the full article

Sabres send Mikhail Grigorenko and Phil Varone to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres assigned centers Mikhail Grigorenko and Phil Varone back to Rochester this morning.

Grigorenko, the No. 12 pick in 2012, has one goal and two points 12 NHL games this season. The 20-year-old Russian scored in Monday’s 4-1 loss in New Jersey. He has seven goals and 22 points in 30 AHL games with the Americans.

Varone scored twice in Thursday’s 5-2 loss in Carolina and played three games during his second ... Read the full article

Sabres send Tim Schaller to Amerks

Winger Drew Stafford returned to the Sabres today following the birth of his son, so Buffalo sent center Tim Schaller back to the Rochester Americans.

Schaller played two games during his most recent recall and has one goal in six NHL appearances this season. He has 10 goals and 23 points in 34 games with the AHL Amerks.

Stafford missed two games.... Read the full article

Report: Amerks goalie Nathan Lieuwen will ‘take significant time off’ to recover from concussion

Some sad news out of Rochester, where Americans goalie Nathan Lieuwen will “take significant time off” to recover from the concussion he suffered late last season with the Buffalo Sabres, according to the Democrat and Chronicle’s Kevin Oklobzija.

Lieuwen, who has scary history of concussions, recently told the Amerks he has experienced vision issues all season, according to the paper. A neurologist said his brain hasn’t healed from the April 6 concussion ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Phil Varone named AHL All-Star with Amerks

Rochester Americans center Phil Varone, who’s on recall to the Buffalo Sabres, has been named to the AHL All-Star Game, the league announced today.

Varone has enjoyed another strong AHL season, compiling eight goals and a team-high 29 points in 35 games with the Amerks.

The 24-year-old is set to make his NHL season debut tonight in New Jersey.

Two former Sabres also earned spots in the game. Hershey Bears forward Tim Kennedy, ... Read the full article

Tyler Myers ready to return to struggling Sabres

Without Tyler Myers, the Sabres quickly became a mess, losing six of the seven games without their ace defenseman.

Opponents exploited Myers’ absence, outscoring the Sabres 33-13 during the past two weeks.

Yikes.

Thankfully for the Sabres, who have lost four straight games and eight of nine overall, Myers will return from his lower-body injury tonight against the Devils.

“I’m not going to be the savior coming in,” Myers told reporters Monday in New ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Tim Schaller and Phil Varone from Amerks

BUFFALO – The struggling Sabres, losers of four straight games and eight of the last nine, recalled forwards Tim Schaller and Phil Varone from Rochester tonight.

At this point, the Sabres need any spark they can find.

The team also assigned center Johan Larsson to Rochester.

Schaller, 24, had three stints with the Sabres earlier this season, scoring one goal. He has a team-high 10 goals and is second on the AHL Americans with 23 ... Read the full article

Sabres mix up lines; Rasmus Ristolainen ready to return

BUFFALO – While the top line remained intact, Sabres coach Ted Nolan rearranged his other three trios today, an attempt to jumpstart the struggling team.

The new lines, left to right: Brian Flynn beside Mikhail Grigorenko and Chris Stewart; Cody Hodgson with Cody McCormick and Drew Stafford; Nick Deslauriers beside Johan Larsson and Patrick Kaleta.

Injuries and illness have ravaged the Sabres recently. They haven’t had a second line with Marcus Foligno and Brian Gionta ... Read the full article

Mark Pysyk has opportunity to stay with Sabres

BUFFALO – This time, Mark Pysyk could stay in the NHL for good.

Of course, some thought the Sabres defenseman had secured regular duty last season. The steady 22-year-old was often the only bright spot on a dreadful team, skating 20 minutes some nights.

But 42 games into Pysyk’s season, the Sabres sent the prospect back to Rochester. Pysyk possessed the mental skills for the NHL then, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said, but he needed ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta explains how he punched himself in head

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta said he had no clue he punched himself in the head Monday during his ferocious fight with Ottawa’s Jared Cowen until someone informed him.

Kaleta’s cool with his unusual move, though.

“Hey, if that’s what it takes to win a fight, then that’s what happens,” he said today after the Sabres practiced in HarborCenter.

Naturally, friends have been sending Kaleta the video. What happened? How does a veteran who ... Read the full article