Tuch - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Lindy Ruff wants to ease pressure on Sabres as they face elimination; Buffalo needs more from Alex Tuch,

MONTREAL – Instead of practicing or holding a meeting or video session on Friday before they departed Buffalo for a do-or-die Game 6, coach Lindy Ruff told the Sabres to stay away from the rink and meet at the airport.

His reasoning? Fresh off Thursday’s 6-3 home loss to the Canadiens, Ruff wants to ease the stress and have them focus on Saturday’s game at the Bell Centre.

For the first time in these Stanley ... Read the full article

Sabres blow leads in loss to Canadiens, on brink of elimination; Owen Power briefly leaves game injured

BUFFALO – Right now, things look bleak for the Sabres. After all, they’re staring down elimination following Thursday’s ugly 6-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

With a chance to go up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, the Sabres blew three leads before the game hit the halfway mark in KeyBank Center. One lasted nine seconds.

They imploded in the second period, allowing three goals and forcing coach Lindy Ruff to pull goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.... Read the full article

Even after two ugly losses, Sabres still in good shape against Canadiens: ‘I’m really confident in the group’

MONTREAL – It’s not just that the Buffalo Sabres lost two straight games to the Canadiens and fell behind in the best-of-seven series. Oh no. It’s how they dropped those contests.

The Canadiens throttled the Sabres in consecutive four-goal victories, outscoring them 11-3 to roar back and take a 2-1 lead.

Following Friday’s 5-1 home setback, the Sabres scored 53 seconds into Sunday’s ugly 6-2 loss at the raucous Bell Centre before imploding.... Read the full article

Sabres implode after fast start in loss to Canadiens, fall behind in series: ‘Some adversity for us’

MONTREAL – Center Tage Thompson sat at his stall on Sunday, sounding unshaken as he calmly answered questions from a throng of reporters following the Buffalo Sabres’ ugly 6-2 loss to the Canadiens.

In losing by four goals for the second consecutive game, the Sabres fell behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round series.

In the Canadiens, the Sabres, the NHL’s best team over the last five months, have possibly met their match.... Read the full article

After loss to Canadiens, Sabres regroup, change power play: ‘Shake it up’

MONTREAL – The Buffalo Sabres experienced this earlier in the postseason. Fresh off an emotional Game 1 win at home, they followed up with a lousy performance, allowing their opponent to tie the series before they hit the road.

Against the Bruins, the Sabres showcased an emphatic response following a tough loss, winning the next two games in Boston and seizing control of the series.

So, what might happen tonight and Tuesday against the Canadiens ... Read the full article

Tenacious effort by Josh Doan creates Zach Benson’s goal to seal Game 6 and series for Sabres

BOSTON – Almost six minutes into Friday’s third period, with the Sabres clinging to a 2-1 lead and trying to close out their first-round series, winger Josh Doan and two Bruins took off down the ice when the puck slid out of the Buffalo zone.

After zooming past the Boston blue line, Doan moved between Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak as the puck approached the left side of the end boards.

As Pastrnak tied up ... Read the full article

In defeating Bruins and winning playoff round, Sabres hope they’re just getting started: ‘Attacked this series as a team’

BOSTON – Fifty wins, 109 points and an Atlantic Division title are nice, but months ago, the Buffalo Sabres’ season became about a lot more than simply making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Early in the winter, it became evident they possessed a special group and could wreak havoc in the postseason.

Their opening-round series victory only strengthened the belief can play long into the spring.... Read the full article

As Sabres try to eliminate Bruins again, confident Tage Thompson believes he will start scoring

BOSTON – In the regular season, Sabres center Tage Thompson endured five stretches of at least four games in which he did not score a goal.

Even the most dynamic scorers – Thompson just cracked the 40-goal mark for the third time in four seasons – are streaky. It’s normal. They’re not going to score every game.

Of course, on the grand stage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, everything is magnified. A short four-game drought ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Peyton Krebs thriving in first playoff action; Josh Norris misses another game

BUFFALO – As he rounded out his game, developing into a versatile, high-octane presence, Sabres winger Peyton Krebs wanted to tailor his style to meet the rigors of playoff hockey.

“That’s what I try to base my game off, you know?” Krebs told the Times Herald on Tuesday prior to Game 5 of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. “Compete, grit, get in battles, make plays under high pressure.”

Those qualities have ... Read the full article

Sabres dominate Bruins, take 3-1 series lead: ‘Best period we played all year’

BOSTON – Just over four minutes into Sunday afternoon’s 6-1 annihilation of the Bruins, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson hectored an opponent along the wall, freeing the puck for linemate Alex Tuch to grab in the offensive zone.

When Tuch reached the right circle, he fed winger Peyton Krebs in the slot, and the winger quickly beat goalie Jeremy Swayman.

The goal at 4:17, the Sabres’ first in the opening 20 minutes during the Stanley Cup ... Read the full article