WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
January Edition
Alex Tuch busted out of a slump Friday. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Alex Tuch’s estimate was just a bit off. Following his slick three-goal performance in Friday’s 6-2 annihilation of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Sabres winger said scoring his first goal at home in “several months” took a monkey off his back.
In reality, Tuch had last scored Nov. 29 in KeyBank Center. Given the Sabres’ recent 13-game winless skid and his own struggles, that probably feels like months ago.
“Doing it in front of ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin returned from an eight-game absence Friday. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Considering the Sabres’ sorry state these days, their quick response to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ goal 89 seconds into Friday’s 6-3 loss was notable.
Early in their 12th consecutive loss, the Sabres countered after Bobby McMann scored, seemingly tying the game at the 2:34 mark when winger Alex Tuch converted linemate Jason Zucker’s nifty pass.
Then following the celebration, the officials huddled. What was going on?
A linesperson saw Zucker’s stick hit Toronto ... Read the full article
Zach Benson often finds himself in the penalty box. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When Sabres coach Lindy Ruff reshuffled his lines earlier this week, he awarded winger Zach Benson a plum assignment alongside center Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
Barely six minutes into Tuesday’s 6-1 road loss to the Montreal Canadiens, his second game on the line, Benson, 19, was whistled for holding.
“He was going to be in that top line,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said in KeyBank Center. “As soon as he took a ... Read the full article
Alex Tuch believes Buffalo must find answers from within. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
MONTREAL – You want to see some downright awful hockey? You want to watch a team that has completely unraveled possibly hit its nadir?
Watch the Buffalo Sabres’ utterly embarrassing performance in their 11th consecutive defeat, Tuesday’s ugly 6-1 loss to the lightweight Canadiens.
Prior to the game, the Sabres sounded like owner Terry Pegula’s visit a day earlier energized them. Perhaps his presence and words instilled some much-needed confidence and would shake them out ... Read the full article
Toronto’s Max Domi scores on Buffalo goalie Devon Levi in Sunday afternoon’s game. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – Lindy Ruff has coached 1,805 games over 24 seasons. He has led Buffalo Sabres teams that went bankrupt during the season and that came within two wins of a Stanley Cup victory.
Ruff, 64, has experienced just about everything during his long and distinguished career. He has won 875 games, the fifth-highest total in NHL history, and led three franchises to the playoffs.
He has always found a way to get his teams ... Read the full article
Owen Power was benched early Wednesday before scoring a late goal. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – If you’re counting, after Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers, the Sabres have six-one goal losses during their bizarre eight-game skid.
They’ve blown multi-goal leads and had a couple of wretched outings over the last two weeks. Still, during a stunning stretch in which they’ve lost seven times at home following a 3-0-0 trip to California, they’ve played well enough to win several games.
“What, six one-goal games?” said Sabres winger ... Read the full article
Buffalo rookie Tyson Kozak has played two NHL games. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – This one couldn’t be taken away from Sabres rookie Tyson Kozak, right? No one interfered with the goalie. No one was offside.
Early in his second NHL game Saturday afternoon, Kozak, 21, zoomed to the net and redirected linemate Beck Malenstyn’s pass behind Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka.
“I had a pretty good feeling it wouldn’t (be disallowed),” said Kozak, whose go-ahead goal in his big league debut Thursday was called ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has established himself as one of the NHL’s best goalies. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be representing their respective countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
The NHL and NHLPA on Wednesday announced Dahlin as one Team Sweden’s seven defensemen and Luukkonen as one of Team Finland’s three netminders.
Sabres center Tage Thompson (USA), winger Alex Tuch (USA) and defenseman Henri Jokiharju (Finland), all of whom were believed to be in the mix to represent their respective countries, did ... Read the full article
Tuesday’s loss stings for Buffalo and Alex Tuch. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The onslaught ended 11:49 into the game, when Sabres winger Beck Malenstyn grabbed linemate Nicolas Aube-Kubel’s pass at the edge the slot, skated in and tucked a backhander past Colorado Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev.
Malenstyn’s goal on the Sabres’ eighth shot extended their lead to 4-0 and put the wonky Georgiev on the bench for the rest of Tuesday’s contest.
Even with 48 minutes remaining against one of the NHL’s heavyweights, it felt ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson recently missed five games. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Following a five-game absence, Tage Thompson quickly resumed his role as the Sabres’ offensive catalyst, generating chance after chance during the last three contests.
The ultra-talented center has attempted 30 shots and landed 16 on goal since returning from a lower-body injury, the NHL’s third-highest total entering Monday’s schedule.
He converted zero of those opportunities.... Read the full article