Toronto Maple Leafs - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Casey Mittelstadt starting to look better, moves to wing

TORONTO – Casey Mittelstadt admittedly isn’t the most patient guy. Coach Don Granato has often spoken about how the Sabres forward has high expectations for himself.

“Yeah, I’m hard on myself,” Mittelstadt said prior to recording an assist in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. “But at the same time, I think that helps me.”

Four and a half months into what was expected to be a breakout season, two significant ... Read the full article

Early adversity helped Sabres star Tage Thompson develop into special talent

TORONTO – Brent Thompson remembers his son, Tage, was beside himself that day almost eight years ago during their five-hour ride home to Long Island.

Tage Thompson, who has emerged as the Buffalo Sabres’ most lethal goal scorer this season, had just been cut from one of USA Hockey’s regional camps, and he left Syracuse angry and shocked.

If Thompson had advanced and earned one of 200 spots for the national camp at the Northtown ... Read the full article

Sabres face stiff challenge in Auston Matthews, scorching Maple Leafs

TORONTO – Having scored 18 goals during their three-game winning streak, including a whopping 10 in one contest, the Maple Leafs are perhaps the NHL’s hottest team.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, losers of six straight games, are arguably the league’s coldest club.

For the first time since Dec. 11, the Leafs will have a full house of nearly 19,000 fans tonight in Scotiabank Arena. COVID-19 restrictions forced them to play in a near-empty or half-full ... Read the full article

Sabres roar back, fall to Maple Leafs; Jeff Skinner enjoys best game in years

BUFFALO – There were at least three points in Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs – the fluky first-period score and two-goal deficits in the second and third – the Sabres would’ve never recovered from in the not-so-distant past.

Each time, the Sabres roared back, tying it. When they knotted the game at 4, scoring twice in a 59-second span during midway through the third period, it felt like they would earn at ... Read the full article

Sabres could turn to goalie Aaron Dell against Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – A few days into training camp, Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged that if the season started tomorrow, goalies Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell would rank first and second on the depth chart.

Dell, who might start tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, had a leg up in the competition with Dustin Tokarski for the backup job. But in the preseason, Dell posted ghastly numbers – a 5.57 goals-against average and an .838 save ... Read the full article

Sabres to play Maple Leafs in Heritage Classic outdoor game in March

The Buffalo Sabres are heading outdoors this season.

The NHL today announced they’ll be playing in a Heritage Classic game March 13, 2022 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ont. Word of the Sabres’ participation in the outdoor contest spread late last month.

Despite playing 63 miles from KeyBank Center, the Sabres will be considered the “home” team for the 3 p.m. game, which will be broadcast nationally on TNT. ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres could play outdoor game in Canada against Maple Leafs

The Buffalo Sabres could be participating in a Heritage Classic outdoor game this season against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Hamilton, Ont., according to the Buffalo News.

The game would take place March 13 at Tim Hortons Field, the home of the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Sabres are scheduled to host Toronto that afternoon at KeyBank Center.

The Sabres did not offer that game in their two half-season ticket packages for the ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel tells Maple Leafs fans to sit down after scoring in Sabres win

BUFFALO – Jack Eichel smirked when he heard the question. The captain had just scored the game-winning goal, igniting a late outburst that cemented a critical victory against the Sabres’ fiercest rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Clearly, Eichel revels in beating the Leafs and sending their legions of loud fans – they comprised at least 60% of Sunday’s capacity crowd inside KeyBank Center – home unhappy.

“I enjoy it,” was all Eichel would say following ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Marcus Johansson looks good following position switch

BUFFALO – Prior to this season, Sabres forward Marcus Johansson hadn’t played center regularly since 2010-11, his rookie year.

Sure, Johansson briefly moved back to the middle a few years ago when the Washington Capitals needed help. But the Swede has spent the majority of his 637-game NHL career playing wing.

“I’m used to (wing), I think,” said Johansson, who returned for Sunday’s 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center following a ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Carter Hutton game-time decision for Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Carter Hutton will be a game-time decision tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, coach Ralph Krueger said.

Hutton, who has won three straight starts, missed Saturday’s practice for maintenance.

“We’re testing him at the moment as a we speak here,” Krueger said this morning inside KeyBank Center.

If Hutton can’t play, Krueger said rookie Jonas Johansson will start.

The Sabres also recalled goalie Andrew Hammond from the Rochester Americans on Saturday.... Read the full article