Scott - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Report: Sabres claim Zenon Konopka off waivers from Wild

BUFFALO – The Sabres have claimed gritty center Zenon Konopka off waivers from the Minnesota Wild, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Michael Russo.

The 33-year-old, a native of nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., is a rare mix of grit and skill, fighting regularly and annually ranking among the NHL’s faceoff leaders.

Konopka, 6-feet and 213 pounds, has 12 goals, 29 points, 1,049 penalty minutes and a minus-45 rating in 323 NHL games. He has one goal, ... Read the full article

Best Sabres photos of 2013: Big John Scott up close

Over the next few days, ace photographer Dan Hickling will be sharing and talking about some of his favorite shots from 2013.

Take it away, Dan …

Love him or hate him, no one is neutral about Sabres tough guy John Scott. Consigned to thug duty under former coach Ron Rolston, the big man has blossomed (to a degree) under Ted Nolan. He will never be mistaken for a dangler, but Scott is ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Ennis on thunderous hit: ‘No idea that I was coming down’

BUFFALO – Sabres center Tyler Ennis was entering the Washington zone on the forecheck Sunday when he noticed Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov had his head down trying to keep the puck in near the right circle along the boards.

A second later, the 5-foot-9, 169-pound Ennis laid a thunderous hit on Orlov 14:56 into the third period, knocking his helmet off and drawing a roar from the 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.... Read the full article

Sabres get rare score from John Scott, blow 2-goal lead before falling to Leafs in shootout

TORONTO – John Scott’s second career goal came early in his 200^th NHL game, 1,503 days after the hulking Buffalo Sabres tough guy scored his first one.

At 7:53 of first period in Friday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs, Matt Ellis’ rebound trickled to Scott in the slot, and – much to the shock of the 19,405 fans watching – he beat Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier.

“I seem to do ... Read the full article

Sabres tough guy John Scott on 200th NHL game: ‘I’ve got a lot of healthy scratches’

TORONTO – What does John Scott’s 200^th NHL game mean to the 6-foot-8 tough guy?

“It means I’ve got 200 in seven years,” Scott said this afternoon inside the Air Canada Centre after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s tilt against the Maple Leafs. “I’ve got a lot of healthy scratches.”

True, Scott has never played more than 51 games in a full season. He’s been a healthy scratch 11 times already this season.... Read the full article

Ted Nolan wants to give Linus Omark ‘benefit of the doubt’ after weak Sabres debut

TORONTO – Ted Nolan wasn’t too impressed with Linus Omark’s Buffalo Sabres debut in Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Boston.

But the interim coach doesn’t want to judge the flashy winger from one game.

“We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt the first time, jet lagged and getting to a new team and having the flu,” Nolan said this afternoon inside the Air Canada Centre after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Maple ... Read the full article

Crazy goal clinches Sabres’ exciting OT triumph against Coyotes

BUFFALO – No one could recall seeing a goal quite like Mark Pysyk’s wild overtime winner Monday, a score that will undoubtedly become a highlight-reel staple and earn the Sabres rookie some notoriety.

What are the odds the puck gets stuck in the goalie’s pants and he slides into the net with it?

“Nope, haven’t seen that before,” a surly Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith said after the undermanned Sabres’ exciting 2-1 triumph before an ... Read the full article

Flu bug forces the Sabres to play short-handed, utilize tough guy John Scott

BUFFALO – Good thing the NHL’s three-day Christmas break begins today. A flu bug ravaging through the Sabres forced them to dress only 16 skaters for Monday’s 2-1 overtime win against the Phoenix Coyotes inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres scratched forwards Marcus Foligno, Ville Leino and Linus Omark and defenseman Alexander Sulzer, all of whom played Saturday.

With just 10 forwards available, interim coach Ted Nolan switched tough guy John Scott, a winger ... Read the full article

Several Sabres under weather prior to game against Coyotes

BUFFALO – The flu bug is going around the Sabres, so several players couldn’t even get to the rink this morning, interim coach Ted Nolan said.

It’s unclear what the lineup will look like tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes inside the First Niagara Center.

“We’re hoping that they’re ready to go,” Nolan said. “Four or five called in this morning and said they couldn’t make it out of bed. So we’re hoping by game time ... Read the full article

Bruins’ Brad Marchand on Sabres’ Ted Nolan: ‘I don’t think I’d be here today if he didn’t coach me that year’

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan only coached Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand one season, 88 total games in 2005-06. Still, the year under the interim Sabres coach changed his career.

Marchand was 17 years old, heading into his draft season, when Nolan took over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats.

“He really helped me understand more about the pro life, how the pros have to play the game and what you have to do ... Read the full article