Scott - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Struggling Sabres facing possible make-or-break weekend with trade deadline approaching

BUFFALO – A stone-faced Ryan Miller was in no mood to dissect his team’s season-long struggles. The 13^th-place Sabres still have 14 games left in what has again become a forgettable year. Technically, they’re not finished yet. When and if the time comes, the goalie will breakdown what went wrong.

“We’re trying to figure it out and battle,” Miller said Friday after the Sabres prepared for the Washington Capitals inside the Northtown Center ... Read the full article

Which Sabres player should Rolston sit against Panthers?

While interim Buffalo Sabres coach Ron Rolston wouldn’t confirm it, defenseman Andrej Sekera, out the last five games, essentially told reporters in Florida he planned to play tonight against the Panthers following a five-game absence.

Slick winger Thomas Vanek (muscle strain) is out and struggling winger Drew Stafford, a healthy scratch the last two games, will return, Rolston told reporters.

Assuming Sekera returns, what should the Sabres do? Should Rolston simply sit ... Read the full article

Slumping Stafford benched as Gerbe returns for Sabres

MONTREAL – In just 32 days on the job, interim coach Ron Rolston has quickly put his mark on the Buffalo Sabres, scratching five regular forwards.

Prior to Saturday, struggling winger Drew Stafford had escaped a benching, only receiving some fourth-line duty for his poor play. With a two-goal effort last Saturday and the shootout-tying score Thursday, it appeared the assistant captain would keep dressing.

But Stafford, who has only four goals and a ... Read the full article

Struggling Stafford to sit tonight as Gerbe returns for Sabres

MONTREAL – Naturally, getting benched for tonight’s game against the Canadiens is disappointing, Drew Stafford said. The struggling Buffalo Sabres winger, who has only four goals in 31 games this season, hasn’t been a healthy scratch in years.

But the 27-year-old veteran, an assistant captain, understands why interim coach Ron Rolston will sit him.

“I mean, it’s no secret I haven’t been getting on the score sheet,” Stafford said this afternoon following Buffalo’s skate ... Read the full article

Relentless Sabres roar back to down Leafs in ultra-intense tilt

BUFFALO –For 65 wildly entertaining minutes Thursday, the Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs fought, traded goals and battled for every inch as they zoomed up and down the ice before a noisy bipartisan crowd of 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres’ 5-4 shootout victory was NHL hockey at its fiercest and most exciting.

“They got their money’s worth tonight,” interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said about the capacity crowd.

Fittingly, Sabres agitator ... Read the full article

Sulzer disappointed season over, hoping to re-sign with Sabres

BUFFALO – When defenseman Alexander Sulzer caught his skate in a rut and twisted his knee early in the Sabres’ 4-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Feb. 23, the defenseman immediately knew something wasn’t right.

“I felt that something happened,” Sulzer said prior to the Sabres’ 5-4 shootout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday inside the First Niagara Center. “It was really painful. I didn’t know how bad it was. But ... Read the full article

Gerbe not giving Sabres a reason to play him

BUFFALO – With slick Sabres winger Thomas Vanek too sore to play tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, either Nathan Gerbe or John Scott will return after being healthy scratches.

The two have three goals and six points combined, all from Gerbe. Vanek, of course, is the Sabres’ leading scorer with 14 goals and 31 points.

Scott, a hulking tough guy, will likely play after three straight scratches. The Leafs sport a lot ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Vanek out against Leafs

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Thomas Vanek will miss tonight’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after taking a shot off the hip Tuesday.

Interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said Vanek is simply too sore to play.

“He’s better today,” Rolston said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “He feels actually good. He’s starting the process. So we’re hoping to get him on the ice tomorrow.”

Vanek could play Saturday in Montreal.

Christian Ehrhoff’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Leino impresses in return from hip injury

BUFFALO – Ron Rolston wasted no time, throwing Ville Leino right into the fire Saturday afternoon, the winger’s first game since April 7.

The Sabres’ interim coach put Leino, sidelined by a hip injury the first 27 games this season, out for the opening faceoff inside the First Niagara Center.

“It was good for me,” Leino said about starting the game after the Sabres’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. “It made me ... Read the full article

Sabres believe sending Grigorenko back to junior will help prospect’s development

BUFFALO – Sending rookie Mikhail Grigorenko back to junior wasn’t a snap decision the Sabres made to reach the 23-man roster limit, general manager Darcy Regier said. The team had been talking about the move for a while prior to making it Friday.

If the 18-year-old center wasn’t getting scratched, he had been playing sparingly during most of his 22 NHL appearances.

“This isn’t driven by a roster move,” Regier said during a late-afternoon news ... Read the full article