Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo enduring career-worst slump

BUFFALO – Kyle Okposo’s offensive slump has become startling.

The Sabres winger has a career-long 21-game goal drought entering tonight’s home tilt against the New York Islanders, his old team. The former NHL All-Star hasn’t even mustered an assist in the last 14 contests, the longest pointless stretch of his 12-year career.

Following a strong start, Okposo stopped producing around mid-November.

Incredibly, Okposo, who usually skates on the second line and power-play unit, is ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Scott Wilson nearing return from broken ankle

BUFFALO – Scott Wilson couldn’t even walk yet. Still, after breaking his right ankle, the Sabres winger wanted to enjoy some hockey-related activities.

So instead of staying idle, at about the four-week mark of his recovery, Wilson, 26, started going on the ice and shooting pucks … from a chair.

“As basic as you could think of it, that’s pretty much what it was,” Wilson said prior to Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zemgus Girgensons week-to-week; Lawrence Pilut to be scratched

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons, a steady presence on the fourth line this season, is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury, coach Phil Housley said.

Girgensons, 24, has formed a strong duo beside center Johan Larsson, giving the Sabres some valuable minutes.

“Zemgus has done a terrific job,” Housley said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “I think with Larsson and him together, they have a unique chemistry, and whoever we put down there ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Randy Carlyle remembers Phil Housley’s talents

BUFFALO – Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle still remembers a skinny rookie named Phil Housley entering the NHL fresh out of high school in 1982.

“I can remember Phil coming here as an 18-year-old defenseman and looking and saying, ‘Holy crow, how’s this kid going to last?’”

Well, Housley lasted a long time, playing 21 seasons, including eight with the Sabres, in what would be a Hall of Fame career.

But 36 years ago, ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Brendan Guhle returns to NHL confident

BUFFALO – During the second intermission Saturday in Cleveland, defenseman Brendan Guhle was informed the Sabres needed his services the next day more than 600 miles away in Boston.

So instead of finishing the Rochester Americans’ 2-1 victory against the Monsters, Guhle, who scored earlier in the game, spent all of the third period and overtime watching from the bench.

“It was pretty weird,” Guhle said prior to Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel enjoying one of greatest seasons in Sabres history

BUFFALO – Thirty-four games into his fourth NHL campaign, Sabres captain Jack Eichel is enjoying more than just a career year; the ultra-talented center is putting together one of the greatest seasons in franchise history.

Fresh off a four-goal, nine-point week, Eichel is up to 14 goals and 45 points entering tonight’s tilt against the Florida Panthers inside KeyBank Center. At his current pace, he would compile 34 goals and a whopping 109 points over ... Read the full article

Sabres send Matt Tennyson to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres sent defenseman Matt Tennyson back to the Rochester Americans this morning.

Tennyson, 28, struggled in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime road loss to the Washington Capitals, compiling a minus-3 rating in barely nine minutes of ice time.

The Sabres recalled defenseman Brendan Guhle prior to Sunday’s 4-2 road win against the Boston Bruins and scratched Tennyson.... Read the full article

Sabres defensemen Brendan Guhle, Matt Hunwick to make season debuts

Buffalo Sabres defensemen Brendan Guhle and Matt Hunwick will make their season debuts in this afternoon’s tilt against the Bruins, coach Phil Housley told reporters in Boston.

With defenseman Nathan Beaulieu day-to-day with an upper-body injury, according to Housley, the Sabres recalled Guhle, 21, from the Rochester Americans this afternoon.

To make room, the Sabres placed defenseman Lawrence Pilut (lower body) on injured reserve.

Hunwick, meanwhile, just completed an AHL conditioning stint after suffering a ... Read the full article

Sabres suspend Patrik Berglund indefinitely for failure to report to team

The Buffalo Sabres have suspended newcomer Patrik Berglund indefinitely for failure to report to the team.

Berglund, 30, missed two games and wasn’t seen around the team this week. Sabres coach Phil Housley said then the forward had the flu.

“From my knowledge, talking to the medical staff, he was ill,” Housley told reporters prior to tonight’s road tilt against the Washington Capitals. “So we handled it that way. Obviously, it developed it into something ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Carter Hutton still out to prove himself

BUFFALO – Even in a new role as an NHL starter, Sabres goalie Carter Hutton’s mentality hasn’t changed. The popular veteran still acts like he’s trying to crack the big leagues.

“He’s just trying to prove himself every day, whether (it was) earlier in his career, when he was a backup, (or) now he’s in the No. 1 position where he’s played a lot of hockey,” said Sabres coach Phil Housley, who knows Hutton from ... Read the full article