Ruff - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After strong stint in Buffalo, Isak Rosen scoring in Rochester, ready for another recall to Sabres

ROCHESTER – Eight of the nine skaters followed the puck to the corner boards, leaving Buffalo Sabres prospect Isak Rosen, the Americans’ top scoring threat, with half the ice to himself during a power play.

So when Amerks center Konsta Helenius dug the puck out and fed his linemate, it felt like Rosen had enough time and space to tie his skates before he shot it.

With no defenders around, Rosen, 22, moved from ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Bowen Byram scoring goals by playing aggressive style

BUFFALO – Three minutes into the first period of Monday’s 5-1 win, Sabres right wing Jack Quinn zoomed into the Winnipeg Jets zone alongside center Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram, who pinched in down the opposite wing.

When Quinn quickly dished the puck, the pass just missed McLeod as he charged down the slot.

No problem. Byram grabbed it in the left circle and quickly beat goalie Eric Comrie, his fourth goal in ... Read the full article

Soft hands, smarts help Noah Ostlund, ‘The Masseuse,’ stick with Sabres

BUFFALO – Noah Ostlund’s Sabres teammates got creative in giving him a new nickname. Instead of simply taking the first few letters of his last name and adding a “y” to the end, a standard hockey formula, they examined his skill set.

“His hands are incredible,” Sabres winger Alex Tuch, Ostlund’s linemate, told the Times Herald following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “So it’s really hard to give him a bad pass, honestly. He’s always ... Read the full article

Josh Norris wows in return as Sabres beat Jets: ‘He was unbelievable’

BUFFALO – In his first action in almost eight weeks, center Josh Norris needed less than three minutes to give the Sabres a taste of what they had been missing for the last 24 games.

During a power play, Norris, who hadn’t played since suffering an upper-body injury opening night, skated into the right circle and adroitly fed winger Josh Doan the puck at the top of the crease.

A second later, winger Jason Zucker ... Read the full article

With Josh Norris ready to play, Sabres must make lineup change, roster move

BUFFALO – The night before his first game in 53 days, Sabres center Josh Norris acknowledged he couldn’t sleep well – “I was a little anxious,” he said – and woke up early.

The oft-injured Norris, 26, hasn’t played since Oct. 9, opening night, when he suffered an upper-body injury in just his fourth appearance with the Sabres.

After missing the last 24 games, he’s ready to face the Winnipeg Jets tonight. Norris pivoted Zach ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Colten Ellis likely to start again; Noah Ostlund uses ‘sick’ move

BUFFALO – Following a four-game break, goalie Colten Ellis looked sharp throughout Saturday’s 3-2 shootout victory in Minnesota, stopping 22 shots, including the last 14 he faced, as the Sabres ended the Wild’s seven-game winning streak.

Ellis, 25, received an early taste of Minnesota’s firepower, stopping superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s wraparound attempt barely a minute into the contest.

In overtime, the rookie calmly denied two shots from Brock Faber in close.... Read the full article

Tage Thompson fights Stefan Noesen in Sabres’ shutout loss to Devils; Mattias Samuelsson leaves injured

BUFFALO – Before their first game against the New Jersey Devils since the Sabres let winger Stefan Noesen get away with hitting Tage Thompson in the head and concussing him last season, some of the center’s teammates volunteered to fight.

“There was a lot of guys in the room asking, but I said I wanted to do it,” Thompson said following Friday afternoon’s 5-0 loss to New Jersey in KeyBank Center.

Thompson appreciates his teammates’ ... Read the full article

Sabres fall apart late, lose to Penguins; Jack Quinn continues hot stretch

PITTSBURGH – The dagger came just 31 seconds after Buffalo Sabres winger Jack Quinn’s goal tied Wednesday’s game against the Penguins.

After seemingly seizing the momentum at the 7:20 mark of the third period, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen lost his stick as the Penguins buzzed around him.

When Bryan Rust maneuvered into the right circle holding the puck, Luukkonen faced a shot he would routinely stop. But without his stick, Rust’s shot slid through his ... Read the full article

As UPL, Colten Ellis earn starts, Sabres’ Alex Lyon has positive mindset: ‘I want the team success’

PITTSBURGH – Alex Lyon hasn’t always been this welcoming to his crease mates. No way. Early in his career, the Buffalo Sabres goalie had zero interest in sharing the net.

“Until the time I was 23 years old, I started every single game – college, junior, high school,” Lyon said prior to Wednesday’s game against the Penguins in PPG Paints Arena. “Like, I was the man, and so it took me a long time to ... Read the full article

Consistent action helping Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen find groove

PITTSBURGH – In his last three outings – one relief appearance followed by two straight starts – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has looked more the like the goalie the Buffalo Sabres expected to be their starter this season.

Entering tonight’s game against the Penguins, Luukkonen has compiled a 2-1-0 record with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage during that stretch.

After two injuries stymied him earlier this season, it appears the Finn, who will ... Read the full article