Ruff - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Lindy Ruff’s evolution on display as he coaches young Sabres in playoffs

BOSTON – In the aftermath of the Buffalo Sabres’ 4-2 home loss in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, coach Lindy Ruff acknowledged that on the outside, he downplayed his team’s dreary performance a bit.

On the inside, however, players knew they played poorly on Tuesday against the Bruins after winning Game 1.

Ruff, whose Sabres roared back on Thursday and beat the Bruins 3-1 in TD Garden, grabbing a 2-1 lead in ... Read the full article

Sabres warned prior to Game 3 to stop rough stuff; Ryan McLeod relied upon in faceoff dot

BOSTON – Before Thursday’s 3-1 win over the Bruins, coach Lindy Ruff said officials warned the Buffalo Sabres they “weren’t gonna put up with the after-the-whistle stuff.”

“They’re gonna take one guy,” he said of the what the teams were told. “And the first guy that puts the fist in the other guy’s face is gonna get called.”

As the longtime rivals split the first two games of the opening-round playoff series, scrums and melees ... Read the full article

Alex Lyon, Noah Ostlund and Alex Tuch help Sabres rally to defeat Bruins, take series lead

BOSTON – Mattias Samuelsson, having broken his stick, was essentially helpless as he tried to get the puck out of his own zone. The Buffalo Sabres defenseman tried kicking it out, but that only made matters worse.

Viktor Arvidsson quickly grabbed the puck and made a beeline for Sabres goalie Alex Lyon. As the Swede roared in, captain Rasmus Dahlin slashed him, giving the Bruins a penalty shot as they enjoyed a 1-0 lead 9:50 ... Read the full article

Alex Lyon played four postseason games with Florida.

Sabres notes: Buffalo turns to Alex Lyon versus Bruins; Josh Norris misses game

BOSTON – Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon has experienced this before. Three years ago, he started three games during the Florida Panthers’ stunning first-round upset of the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He later had a relief appearance in the final.

Turning to Lyon on Thursday for Game 3 of the Sabres’ opening-round series felt inevitable after goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed an 89-foot goal and later got pulled from Tuesday’s 4-2 home loss to ... Read the full article

Sabres will likely start goalie Alex Lyon, make lineup changes up front in Game 3 against Bruins

BOSTON – Goalie Alex Lyon is likely in for Game 3 of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is likely out.

Lyon, 33, manned the net usually reserved for that night’s started during this morning’s pregame skate, meaning he’s expected to get the nod against the Bruins. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff refused to name his starter for tonight’s game.

Lyon hasn’t started a game since allowing three goals ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Josh Norris to miss Game 3 against Bruins with injury

BOSTON – Oft-injured center Josh Norris will miss Game 3 of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series tonight with an undisclosed injury and is day to day, coach Lindy Ruff said this afternoon.

Norris crashed into the boards in Tuesday’s 4-2 home loss to the Bruins but stayed in the game.

Ruff said he doesn’t know when Norris, 26, suffered his injury.... Read the full article

As series moves to Boston tied, Sabres face questions about starting goalie, power play and more

BOSTON – You bet Buffalo Sabres goalie Alex Lyon has been experienced the gut-wrenching feeling teammate Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen likely did in Tuesday’s loss. If you tend goal long enough, inevitably, a puck shot or dumped in from center ice or another far-off locale will get by you.

In the Sabres’ 4-2 setback to the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, Luukkonen allowed possibly the worst goal of his life, letting an ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Noah Ostlund could return from injury Thursday

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said rookie forward Noah Ostlund, who has missed the last 12 games with an upper-body injury, is “real close” to playing.

“I would consider him a possibility for tomorrow,” Ruff said this afternoon in KeyBank Center.

The Sabres play Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Thursday in Boston against the Bruins. The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1.... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allows long goal, gets replaced by Alex Lyon as Bruins tie series

BUFFALO – In the early going of Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen picked up where he left off in the series opener, stopping two breakaways to keep the game tied at 0.

For months, Luukkonen has stood tall in net, making him the easy choice to start the first-round series against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But the Finn’s struggles in Game 2 – he allowed ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Mattias Samuelsson takes place among NHL’s best defensemen; Josh Allen riles up Buffalo crowd

BUFFALO – It was never a question of skill. Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson possesses loads of it.

At his best, he ranks among the NHL’s top shutdown defenders.

“He’s got every tool in the toolbox,” Sabres winger Alex Tuch said Monday in KeyBank Center. “He’s big, he skates well, he’s got the long stick, he’s got the hockey IQ. And then when he’s physical like that, he’s just horrible to play against.

“I mean, I ... Read the full article