Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko thriving with AHL Amerks

ROCHESTER – Finally, almost two years after the Buffalo Sabres drafted him 12^th overall, center Mikhail Grigorenko has landed in the AHL.

Just weeks before his 20^th birthday, the prospect too good for junior but too green for the NHL has settled in nicely with the Americans.

The Amerks closed the regular season 7-1-1 with Grigorenko, who recorded his four assists in his first three appearances.

But numbers aren’t important right now.

“Maybe ... Read the full article

Amerks’ Chad Ruhwedel impressive in return from concussion

ROCHESTER – Chad Ruhwedel said his first concussion “wasn’t fun.” The defenseman experienced bad headaches for a few days after Philadelphia’s Zac Rinaldo elbowed him in the head April 6 during a recall to the Buffalo Sabres.

Ruhwedel figured his regular season was over.

But the 23-year-old, who was sent to the AHL earlier this week, felt well enough to return Friday for the Americans’ 5-1 win against the Syracuse Crunch inside the Blue Cross ... Read the full article

Alexander Sulzer still recovering from first concussion, open to returning to Sabres

BUFFALO – Despite having played 12 professional seasons, Sabres defenseman Alexander Sulzer avoided his first concussion until March 13, his 505^th game.

Jiri Tlusty hit Sulzer a few minutes into the Sabres’ 4-2 loss in Carolina. He bumped his head on the glass.

“Then it went back and forth a couple times,” Sulzer recalled Monday.

Sulzer’s disappointing season – and possibly his 57-game Sabres career – was over.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” ... Read the full article

Sabres fire assistant coaches from old regime

BUFFALO – The Sabres have fired or reassigned all of the assistant coaches Ted Nolan inherited from the previous regime.

Jim Corsi, the team’s popular goalie coach since 1998, is gone, the club announced today. So is Teppo Numminen, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three seasons. Joe Sacco and Jerry Forton have been offered new jobs within the organization’s hockey department after just one season with the team.

Nolan replaced Ron Rolston on an interim ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Myers had broken ribs, will likely play at world championship

BUFFALO – Tyler Myers’ season isn’t over yet. The Sabres defenseman said the broken ribs that sidelined him the final 10 games have mostly healed. The 24-year-old will likely accept an invitation to play for Team Canada at next month’s world championship.

Myers crashed into the net March 25 in Montreal. He didn’t reveal his injury until Monday.

“It’s coming along quite well,” Myers said as the Sabres cleaned out their lockers and held end-of-season ... Read the full article

Broken ribs sidelined Sabres’ Tyler Myers, defenseman could play at world championship

BUFFALO – Here are some quick updates on several of the injured Sabres. With the season finally over, most players will tell you exactly what happened to them.

– Defenseman Tyler Myers said he broke a couple of ribs when he crashed into the net March 25 in Montreal.

“It’s coming along quite well,” Myers said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I had a week of hope after it happened. It turned out ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Connor Knapp on first NHL start: ‘Quite a moment in my life’

BUFFALO – On March 15, more than 4,000 miles from Buffalo, Sabres goalie Connor Knapp stopped 24 shots in the Alaska Aces’ 4-2 win against the Colorado Eagles in Anchorage.

Twenty-nine days later, Knapp, the sixth goalie on the organization’s depth chart, made his first NHL start in the Sabres’ 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders.

Knapp grew up in York, a small town about 30 miles from Rochester.

“It’s crazy,” the 23-year-old ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Connor Knapp to make first NHL start

BUFFALO – Connor Knapp, the sixth goalie on the Sabres’ depth chart, will make his first NHL start this afternoon against the New York Islanders.

The Sabres recalled goalie Andrey Makarov from Rochester today on an emergency basis. But the 20-year-old Russian played for the Americans the last two days.

“Makarov, this will be his third game in three nights,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “They play ... Read the full article

Sabres recall three from Amerks on emergency basis

BUFFALO – Yes, the Sabres will have a full lineup for this afternoon’s season finale against the New York Islanders inside the First Niagara Center.

The injury-ravaged club, which lost five players in Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Boston, today recalled winger Nick Deslauriers, goalie Andrey Makarov and defenseman Mark Pysyk from Rochester on an emergency basis.

Makarov could make his first NHL start against the Isles. The 20-year-old Russian played Friday and Saturday for ... Read the full article

Season filled with turmoil about to end for reeling Sabres

Mercifully, 193 days after it started, the most tumultuous season in Buffalo Sabres history will end around 7:30 p.m. Sunday inside the First Niagara Center.

The finale can’t come quickly enough for the reeling Sabres, losers of six straight games and 17 of their last 19.

In a season filled with turmoil, the Sabres endured arguably their roughest game this afternoon in Boston, losing five more players to injury, including goalie Matt Hackett, in ... Read the full article