WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Aaron Dell played seven games for Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
The Sabres this afternoon sent goalie Aaron Dell to the Rochester Americans and activated Malcolm Subban off injured reserved.
Subban, who missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury, will back up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for tonight’s road game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Dell, 32, struggled with the Sabres, compiling a 0-5-0 record with a 4.52 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage in seven games.... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has played the last three games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Rookie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s start tonight in Winnipeg – a hostile NHL road environment filled with 15,000 noisy Jets fans – will be a new experience for him.
The Sabres goalie made his first three starts at home this season. Last year, the Finn played four games before no fans or very small crowds.
The Sabres, of course, have struggled on the road, winning just two of their 11 games (2-7-2). In their last road outing ... Read the full article
Malcolm Subban, shown here with Chicago on April 23 stopping Ryan Johansen, will likely play his second game for Buffalo later this week. ©2021, John J. Kim, TNS
BUFFALO – Goalie Malcolm Subban, who has missed the last three contests with an undisclosed injury, accompanied the Sabres on their three-game road trip after practicing this morning.
Subban, 27, hadn’t gone through a full team session since jamming his right foot into the post late in his Sabres debut Dec. 4.
Coach Don Granato said the Sabres will start the trip with three goalies: Subban, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Aaron Dell.
“We have ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt was injured Tuesday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt underwent successful surgery today to repair his upper-body injury, coach Don Granato said.
Granato said the Sabres don’t have a timeline for Mittelstadt’s return. He expects the Mittelstadt, who visited a specialist Thursday, will play again this season.
Mittelstadt, 23, suffered his second upper-body injury this season about six minutes into the third period of Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. After getting injured opening night, he missed ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt has played just four times this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt, who suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, is seeing a specialist today, coach Don Granato said.
“We’ll wait until we have the information from the doctor he sees today to see what the next step is,” Granato said following this morning’s practice inside KeyBank Center.
The Sabres have placed Mittelstadt on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least one week. Ukko-Pekka ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt has played just four game this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Right now, Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged it’s difficult for him to think about injured center Casey Mittelstadt.
Mittelstadt, 23, just returned from a 21-game absence after suffering an upper-body injury opening night. Then in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, his third game back, he sustained another upper-body injury about six minutes into the third period.
Granato said this afternoon that Mittelstadt’s latest ailment could sideline him long-term, a tough ... Read the full article
Anaheim’s Sam Steel skates in on Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on Tuesday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – After an 11-day layoff, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looked sharp against the Anaheim Ducks in his first NHL action this season. The rest of the Sabres, meanwhile, clamped down, limiting chances following a slew of dreadful defensive efforts.
The end result, however, was their fifth consecutive loss. The Sabres, who have consistently been scoring goals, generated little offense for the first 40 minutes of Tuesday’s 2-0 loss.
The Ducks only needed Sonny Milano’s goal ... Read the full article
Jacob Bryson, shown here fending off Boston’s Erik Haula, likes Buffalo’s up-tempo system. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Think about it, do kids grow up dreaming of scoring goals or playing defense? Hockey players develop an offensive mentality at a young age that remains with them.
“Every player in the NHL wants to play offense,” Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson said prior to Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at KeyBank Center. “No one likes to play defense.”
Bryson, who knows he can’t shirk his defensive duties, loves the aggressive, fast-paced ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was recalled Monday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – As expected, the struggling Sabres will change goalies tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, awarding prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen his first start this season.
Having played four games late last year, Luukkonen developed a feel of the NHL. The Finn performed well, winning his debut and posting a .906 save percentage.
“The hope is when you put him in there’s an element of relaxed to him, a comfort,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following this ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has had an inconsistent season in Rochester. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has struggled at times this season, performing below expectations. Yes, the goalie has enjoyed some nice moments, including his first shutout with the Rochester Americans.
But ideally, Luukkonen, 22, would be in the minors right now honing his game. The reeling Sabres only recalled him Monday because they’re in the midst of a goaltending crisis.
Having lost goalie Malcolm Subban to injury in his debut Saturday, Luukkonen was ... Read the full article