Ruff - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres star Tage Thompson attacking game and scoring goals as center

BUFFALO – In each of the last two games, Sabres center Tage Thompson has confidently freewheeled through the neutral zone and carried the puck with authority into enemy territory.

In Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win, he beat Detroit Red Wings star Alex DeBrincat in the left circle before cutting to the net and tucking the puck past goalie John Gibson as he fell to the ice.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Thompson nearly scored a similar goal in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Michael Kesselring out ‘weeks’ with injury; Zach Benson ‘doing well’

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring, who left Saturday’s game after suffering a lower-body injury, will be sidelined “an extended period of time,” coach Lindy Ruff said.

“On the longer side,” Ruff said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “Weeks.”

Kesselring, 25, left the Sabres’ 5-4 overtime win in Detroit after he hit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie about halfway through the game. He took another shift later in the second period and one early ... Read the full article

Rookies Noah Ostlund, Colten Ellis lead Sabres to complete win over Oilers: ‘Probably our best game’

BUFFALO – In the next week or so, two of the Sabres’ top forwards, Josh Norris and Jason Zucker, should be ready to play, meaning some difficult roster decisions will likely materialize.

After center Noah Ostlund’s slick two-goal performance in Monday’s 5-1 shellacking of the Edmonton Oilers, it’s hard to imagine the Sabres will create room by sending the rookie back to the Rochester Americans.

Ostlund, 21, dazzled in his 11th NHL game this season ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Josh Norris, Jason Zucker skate with teammates; Michael Kesselring out injured

BUFFALO – Among the 1,300 or so players who participated in NHL preseason games, Sabres center Josh Norris stood out as perhaps the most dynamic performer.

It can be hard to put much stock in exhibition contests, but the oft-injured Norris, who participated in Monday’s pregame skate, looked ready to seize his role as the Sabres’ top pivot following a full summer of training.

Then late in the season opener Oct. 9, he suffered an ... Read the full article

Sabres, Tage Thompson impose will in OT win; Michael Kesselring injured

BUFFALO – Early in Saturday’s overtime, Sabres center Tage Thompson used his 10-inch, 40-pound size advantage to knock Alex DeBrincat to the ice after the Detroit Red Wings star blocked his shot in the right circle.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Thompson grabbed the puck and backhanded it to defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who beat goalie John Gibson to secure the Sabres’ unlikely 5-4 win in Detroit.

Three-on-three overtime, of course, rarely features much physicality. But Thompson, whose ... Read the full article

Captain Rasmus Dahlin rejoins Sabres after temporary leave of absence

Captain Rasmus Dahlin rejoined the Buffalo Sabres today in Detroit after taking a temporary leave of absence to return to his native Sweden for a personal matter.

Dahlin, who left the Sabres last Friday, skated with his teammates this morning and will play against the Red Wings tonight.

The defenseman missed the first three games of Buffalo’s road trip.... Read the full article

After early goalie change, will Sabres start Alex Lyon, UPL or Colten Ellis?

Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s decision to yank goalie Alex Lyon barely six minutes into Thursday’s 6-3 road loss wasn’t performance-related.

“It had nothing to do with Lyon,” Ruff told reporters following the game against the Colorado Avalanche.

No, with the Sabres trailing 2-0 – Martin Necas scored on a breakaway at the 52-second mark before Artturi Lehkonen converted a rebound at the net – replacing Lyon with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen essentially gave them a much-needed ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius taking ‘big jump’ in development, playing big minutes for Rochester Amerks

ROCHESTER – Having lost three of their most talented forwards to recalls, the Americans have recently been forced to lean heavily on center Konsta Helenius, playing the Sabres prospect a whopping 23 or 24 minutes some games.

“He’s playing probably too much right now, to be honest,” Amerks coach Mike Leone told the Times Herald prior to Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to the Belleville Senators in Blue Cross Arena.

The Amerks, who have lost Josh ... Read the full article

As offense struggles, Sabres need Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch to keep scoring

BUFFALO – Early in the third period of Saturday’s 6-3 loss in Carolina, the Sabres busted out of their week-long offensive slump, scoring twice to creep within one goal against the Hurricanes.

First, winger Alex Tuch beat goalie Pyotr Kochetkov from the right circle at 3:23, moving them within 4-2. Winger Tage Thompson followed up at 6:29, converting center Ryan McLeod’s nifty feed from the slot.

In a span of 3:06 the Sabres scored as ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jiri Kulich to miss ‘significant time’ with blood clot issue

BUFFALO – Sabres center Jiri Kulich will miss “significant time” because of a blood clot issue, coach Lindy Ruff said, the latest blow for a team decimated by injuries and illness.

“I’m not going to go any further into details, but pretty serious,” Ruff said following Monday’s morning’s practice in LECOM Harborcenter.

Kulich, 21, has missed the last three games. The clot was discovered when he underwent additional testing after fluid built up in his ... Read the full article