Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After rough stretch, Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen thriving

ROCHESTER – When Matthew Peca jumped off the bench, one-timed a rolling puck and beat Americans goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen under his blocker, it felt like the Springfield Thunderbirds’ second goal in four minutes might be a killer.

Luukkonen, 23, knew the go-ahead goal from the left circle early in Tuesday’s second period was suspect.

“It was a rolling so I kind of got surprised at that, dipped a little bit so it went underneath by ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Jack Quinn scores slick shootout goal for Amerks

ROCHESTER – Sabres prospect Jack Quinn has utilized the scintillating moves at least three times to score highlight-reel shootout goals for the Americans.

“I’m just coming down the right side and kind of cutting into the hash marks,” Quinn told the Times Herald after using the moves to score again in Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Blue Cross Arena.

Then Quinn, 20, fakes a shot and the fun begins. If the goalie bites, as the Springfield ... Read the full article

Sabres sign third-round pick Josh Bloom to entry-level contract

The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Josh Bloom, a third-round pick in 2021, to a three-year, entry-level contract that will begin next season, the team announced today.

The 6-foot-2, 182-pound Bloom, 18, will ink an amateur tryout and finish this season with the Rochester Americans.

He is the second prospect from the 2021 draft class the Sabres have signed, joining defenseman Owen Power, the first overall pick.... Read the full article

Amerks’ Arttu Ruotsalainen sees future with Sabres, hasn’t signed in Europe

ROCHESTER – For three and a half months, Buffalo Sabres prospect Arttu Ruotsalainen has been on a scoring tear, developing into one of the AHL’s most lethal threats.

Ruotsalainen, 24, earned AHL Player of the Month honors for March, compiling eight goals and 18 points in 13 outings for the Rochester Americans.

Overall, the Finnish center has recorded 18 goals and 50 points in 51 games with the Amerks this season, including 18 goals and ... Read the full article

Owen Power, Sabres’ young defense turning heads: ‘Bright future’

BUFFALO – Winger Alex Tuch figures the Sabres set some sort of record in Tuesday’s 5-2 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“It’s got to be the youngest D corps to ever step on the ice tonight, I feel like,” Tuch said after defenseman Owen Power, 19, made his NHL debut in Scotiabank Arena. “The oldest guy’s Casey Fitzgerald at 25.”

Incredibly, the average age of the Sabres’ defense in Tuesday’s contest ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Why was Henri Jokiharju picked as Owen Power’s partner?

TORONTO – Prior to Owen Power’s arrival, Buffalo Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Henri Jokiharju both let it be known they’d love to play with the rookie, the first overall pick in 2021.

The problem? Well, Dahlin and Jokiharju were partners at the time.

“Owen’s not here and they’re already talking about, ‘When Owen gets here, I want to play with him! And I want to play with him!’” Sabres coach Don Granato said ... Read the full article

Sabres growing close, winning and don’t want season to end

BUFFALO – Just 11 games remain in a grueling season in which the Sabres will miss the playoffs again, and veteran winger Kyle Okposo is disappointed.

Okposo, 33, is having a blast and wants it to keep going. The team has grown close this season. And after a decade of futility, the Sabres appear to have finally turned a corner, winning 10 of their last 17 games (10-4-3) entering tonight’s road game against the Carolina ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kevyn Adams happy with goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s play

BUFFALO – In assessing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s play, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams looks beyond the suspect numbers the goalie prospect has compiled.

“Better than his numbers,” Adams said prior to Tuesday’s 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at KeyBank Center. “That’s why I think you got to be careful in the American League getting too caught up in that.”

Still, Luukkonen hasn’t exactly been the Rochester Americans’ backbone. The Finn has struggled at times this ... Read the full article

Memories of listening to Rick Jeanneret special for Sabres’ Alex Tuch

BUFFALO – When Sabres winger Alex Tuch met legendary play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret earlier this season, he knew his father, Carl, would be jealous.

The Tuchs, proud Sabres fans from Baldwinsville, watched a lot of games together back in the day, and Jeanneret is a big deal to them.

“I told him that my dad was really jealous when I got to meet him one of my first games here,” Tuch said of Jeanneret, who ... Read the full article

Sean Malone’s career season filled with growth, frustration in Rochester

ROCHESTER – Ten minutes after the Americans blew a late two-goal lead Sunday afternoon and fell out of a playoff spot, center Sean Malone hadn’t let go of the potentially devastating loss.

In the hallway outside the dressing room in Blue Cross Arena, an agitated Malone searched for the right words to describe his feelings.

“A lot of it falls on me,” Malone said following the stunning 6-5 overtime loss, a game in which the ... Read the full article