Ullmark - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres growing frustrated after overtime loss to Hurricanes

BUFFALO – So what do the reeling Sabres do now?

While their roaring third-period comeback helped them earn a point Thursday, they still lost 6-5 in overtime, allowing the Carolina Hurricanes to pass them in the standings.

Having lost seven of the last 10 games, the Sabres have dropped to 10th in the Eastern Conference and five points out of the final playoff spot. The same team that ranked first overall in late November could ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tage Thompson to sit as healthy scratch

BUFFALO – This is probably only a temporary benching. Sabres coach Phil Housley plans to give winger Tage Thompson another opportunity soon.

But for the first time since Nov. 8 and the eighth time this season, Thompson, 21, will sit out a game as a healthy scratch tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. Center Johan Larsson will replace him.

Thompson, a big piece of the Ryan O’Reilly trade with the St. Louis Blues, has played the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evan Rodrigues piling up goals after slow start

BUFFALO – It can be argued the best play in Tuesday’s victory wasn’t a goal, Sabres winger Sam Reinhart’s shootout winner or one of goalie Linus Ullmark’s windmill saves.

How about center Evan Rodrigues’ arduous effort to stay onside in the second period?

As the Sabres rushed into the Minnesota Wild zone, Rodrigues slammed on the brakes and lost his stick. Rodrigues basically looked like a wishbone about to break trying to keep his skate ... Read the full article

Goalie Linus Ullmark helps Sabres secure shootout win over Wild

BUFFALO – Amid all the chaos that materialized around him, Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark calmly moved around his crease, making save after save in Tuesday’s thrilling 5-4 shootout victory.

Right now, having allowed 39 goals over the last nine contests, the Sabres are a mess defensively. So Ullmark can be forgiven for allowing four goals.

Ullmark still stopped 41 shots and all three shootout attempts against the Minnesota Wild, securing just the Sabres’ third win ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark could keep earning more starts

BUFFALO – In the last month or so, Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark has regularly earned starts over Carter Hutton.

Instead of simply playing the second game of a back-to-back set, Sabres coach Phil Housley has utilized Ullmark eight times in the last 11 contests.

Two of those appearances, including the final 20 minutes of Friday’s ugly 7-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, came in relief of the struggling Hutton.

Ullmark, 25, will start again ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Carter Hutton having rough stretch after fast start

BUFFALO – On Dec. 13, goalie Carter Hutton made 25 saves in a 3-1 win over Arizona, improving to 13-8-1 in his first season with the Sabres.

At that point, Hutton’s campaign was going splendidly. The loquacious veteran had quickly become the No. 1 netminder the Sabres envisioned when they signed the career backup to a three-year, $8.25 million contract July 1.

But since then, Hutton, 33, has lost seven of his last eight starts ... Read the full article

Sabres lose to Lightning, fall out of playoff spot

BUFFALO – Twenty games ago, the upstart Sabres grabbed the top spot in the NHL after winning their 10th straight contest.

At that point, 25 games into the season, the Sabres appeared ahead of schedule. While many observers believed they could possibly contend for a playoff spot, few thought they would be the league’s best team more than a quarter into the campaign.

Fast forward to today, and the Sabres have fallen hard. Yes, they’re ... Read the full article

Lightning could become one of best teams in NHL history

BUFFALO – Forty-four days ago, the first-place Sabres roared into Tampa Bay enjoying a 10-game winning streak. While they lost 5-4 and fell one point behind the Lightning, the end of their raucous run felt like the start of something special.

It seemed like the foes could be battling for the Atlantic Division’s top spot all season.

Well, since that night, the Sabres are 6-9-4. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is a stunning 17-1-1.

Yes, Tampa Bay ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Eichel out next two games, will be reevaluated next week

BUFFALO – An upper-body injury will sideline Sabres captain Jack Eichel at least two games, coach Phil Housley said this morning.

The Sabres’ leading scoring will miss tonight’s contest against the Florida Panthers at KeyBank Center and Saturday’s road tilt versus the Boston Bruins.

Eichel, who earned a spot in the NHL All-Star Game on Wednesday, will be reevaluated early next week, Housley said.

“It’s very encouraging,” Housley said of the news. “Obviously, Jack’s been ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo enduring career-worst slump

BUFFALO – Kyle Okposo’s offensive slump has become startling.

The Sabres winger has a career-long 21-game goal drought entering tonight’s home tilt against the New York Islanders, his old team. The former NHL All-Star hasn’t even mustered an assist in the last 14 contests, the longest pointless stretch of his 12-year career.

Following a strong start, Okposo stopped producing around mid-November.

Incredibly, Okposo, who usually skates on the second line and power-play unit, is ... Read the full article