WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Post-Deadline Edition
Jacob Bryson has missed four games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Of the seven defensemen the Sabres have kept all season, only two, Rasmus Dahlin and Mark Pysyk, have played more than 30 games.
Defensemen, of course, are often at a premium. The rugged nature of the position makes them susceptible to damage.
As injuries and COVID-19 cases recently mounted, Sabres coach Don Granato cobbled together a defense corps. He utilized two rookies, giving Casey Fitzgerald and Ethan Prow their first NHL action.
But ... Read the full article
Brett Murray has played 16 games for Buffalo this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – The Sabres on Friday assigned forwards Brett Murray and Ryan MacInnis and defenseman Ethan Prow to the Rochester Americans.
The Sabres don’t play again until Tuesday, while the Amerks hosted the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday and play a road game against the Syracuse Crunch tonight.
All three played for the Amerks on Friday.
Murray, 23, had made 15 straight appearances with the Sabres. Overall this season, he has played 16 NHL games, ... Read the full article
Ryan MacInnis has played 26 NHL games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
The Buffalo Sabres this morning reassigned forward Ryan MacInnis from the Rochester Americans to the taxi squad.
The Sabres need another forward for tonight’s game against the San Jose Sharks, so perhaps they will promote MacInnis, 25, to the active roster later today.
Update: Sabres coach Don Granato said this morning MacInnis will play wing tonight. Meanwhile, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal.
The 6-foot-4, 201-pound MacInnis has recorded six goals and 16 points in ... Read the full article
Jacob Bryson has missed two games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday, as zero Sabres entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
Henri Jokiharju, who was held out of Tuesday’s practice as the team awaited test results, skated in Wednesday’s session, giving the Sabres a full defense corps.
“It was a relief on many fronts, just even to run a better practice with six full D,” Granato said of no one entering protocol. “But … they go into ... Read the full article
Brett Murray has played 15 games for Buffalo this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The emotion of the moment overwhelmed Brett Murray, and with the home crowd roaring in approval of his first NHL fight, the normally subdued Sabres rookie did something uncharacteristic.
As the 6-foot-5, 228-pound Murray skated off the KeyBank Center ice last Wednesday, he implored the fans to make more noise, emphatically raising his arms and yelling, “Let’s go!”
“Watching it back, I think I blacked out for a little bit skating off ... Read the full article
Anders Bjork is one of six Buffalo players in protocol. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato said dealing with COVID-19 and the chaos it creates has become “almost a new normal.” For two weeks, the virus has been ravaging the Sabres, forcing players and staff members into the NHL’s protocol and five games to be postponed.
On Tuesday, three more players – forward Anders Bjork, Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch – went into protocol. Granato said the Sabres also held defenseman Henri Jokiharju out of practice ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has started seven out of the last nine games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In starting seven of the last nine games, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has quickly established himself as the Sabres’ backbone, instilling confidence in his teammates and keeping them in every contest.
Luukkonen, 22, was the Sabres’ best player in Saturday afternoon’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins, helping them earn a point despite blowing a two-goal, third-period lead.
“In Boston, I was on my game from the start and felt like I was ... Read the full article
JJ Peterka played his first two NHL games last week. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Fresh off his first two NHL appearances, Buffalo Sabres prospect JJ Peterka returned to the AHL brimming with confidence. In two weekend outings, the German recorded two goals and five points for the Rochester Americans.
On Monday, the AHL recognized Peterka’s standout performances, naming him its Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday.
Hours after the Sabres returned Peterka, 19, to the Amerks on Saturday, he registered one goal and three points in ... Read the full article
Don Granato caught a flight to Boston on Saturday morning. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Don Granato’s Saturday began in the predawn hours in Buffalo. The coach knew he was close to clearing the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. So receiving good test results meant he join the Sabres in Boston for their matinee.
“I was waiting literally minute by minute in hopes of being here,” Granato said on a Zoom call prior to the Sabres’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins at TD Garden.
When Granato received clearance, he hopped on ... Read the full article
Don Granato missed two games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato has left the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and will be behind the bench for this afternoon’s road game against the Boston Bruins.
In addition, wingers Vinnie Hinostroza and Jeff Skinner will return to the lineup after leaving protocol Friday and practicing.
Granato, who missed two games after testing positive Sunday, said he feels “really good.”