Ullmark - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Goalie Linus Ullmark returns to Sabres’ net

BUFFALO – This campaign, Linus Ullmark’s second in North America, has turned into what the loquacious Sabres goalie thought his rookie season would be like.

“Maybe some call-ups, whatever,” said Ullmark, who will likely start tonight against the Nashville Predators inside KeyBank Center, his first NHL nod since April 9.

Update: Robin Lehner is healthy and will apparently start tonight. Ullmark isn’t dressed.

Early in 2015-16, after only a few AHL appearances following surgery on ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Linus Ullmark from Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres, who close a two-game road trip tonight against the Arizona Coyotes, have recalled goalie Linus Ullmark from the Rochester Americans.

It’s unclear if one of the team’s regular goalies, Robin Lehner or Anders Nilsson, is injured, sick or a deal is in the works. Stay tuned for updates. Lehner has started eight straight games.

Ullmark, 23, has been a workhorse in the AHL this season, going 20-20-2 with a 2.90 ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Vaclav Karabacek slowly finding game with Amerks

BUFFALO – For an AHL team mired in 13th place in a 14-team conference, the Rochester Americans possess some impressive young forward talent.

Justin Bailey, Nick Baptiste and Evan Rodrigues just returned from successful NHL stints. Hudson Fasching made the Sabres out of camp. If he hadn’t suffered a groin injury early on, he likely would’ve earned more NHL action. And while Alexander Nylander, 18, has struggled recently, the eighth overall pick is ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Justin Bailey named AHL All-Star

High-scoring Buffalo Sabres prospect Justin Bailey has been named a replacement for Monday’s AHL All-Star game in Allentown, Pa., the league announced today.

Bailey, 21, a Williamsville native, has a team-high 18 goals with the Rochester Americans, including 10 goals in his last 12 games. His recent seven-game goal-scoring streak is the AHL’s longest this season.

The winger, whose goal total ranks sixth in the league, also has 28 points in 38 AHL appearances. He ... Read the full article

Ryan O’Reilly helps push Sabres past Red Wings in OT

BUFFALO – With just over four minutes left in regulation Friday and the Sabres trailing 2-1, Ryan O’Reilly zoomed down the right wall hellbent on grabbing the puck from Danny DeKeyser deep in the Detroit zone.

O’Reilly eventually twisted DeKeyser around, grabbed the puck and skated behind the net, where he zeroed in on linemate Kyle Okposo in front.

But the rest of the Red Wings hadn’t caught up, so a surprised O’Reilly skated out ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nick Deslauriers seeing less action

BUFFALO – Chat with Nick Deslauriers for a few minutes, and if the subject turns to fighting, the affable Sabres winger usually perks up.

Deslauriers, 25, relishes his job as the Sabres’ chief protector. In his 196-game NHL career, he has 15 fights and 12 goals.

“That’s what I want to bring, just safety for all the guys that are on the ice with me,” Deslauriers said Friday prior to being scratched for the Sabres’ ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson to start against Red Wings

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Dan Bylsma has no explanation for goalie Anders Nilsson’s wild home and road splits.

Consider the statistics Nilsson, who will start tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, has accumulated in 17 games: on the road, he’s just 2-5-3 with a 3.11 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage in nine outings. At KeyBank Center, however, he’s 5-1-1 with a 1.84 and a .947 in seven contests.

“They can be misleading and ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner defends wave: ‘I don’t care what anyone thinks’

BUFFALO – Before Robin Lehner threw a fit after getting yanked from Tuesday’s 4-3 loss in Toronto, the fiery Sabres goalie skated to bench during a break and waved to a child whose mother was sitting in the first row and face-timing with her son at home.

Not long after that, Lehner was back at the bench erupting after allowing three goals in less than 10 minutes.

Some, of course, will say Lehner’s wave as ... Read the full article

Sabres send Justin Bailey, Linus Ullmark to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres sent winger Justin Bailey and goalie Linus Ullmark back to the Rochester Americans today.

Bailey’s assignment means winger Tyler Ennis, out since undergoing groin surgery Nov. 10, could return Monday against Dallas. Ennis began practicing with the Sabres again in late December.

The Sabres summoned Ullmark because goalie Robin Lehner was battling the flu.

Bailey has one goal in nine NHL games this season. Ullmark hasn’t made an NHL appearance ... Read the full article

Predators claim Derek Grant from Sabres

BUFFALO – As noon, the end of the 24-hour waiver period, approached, Derek Grant was told to stop practicing with the Sabres and leave the ice.

Why?

The Nashville Predators claimed the center on waivers today, robbing the Sabres of some valuable depth they wanted to send to the AHL Rochester Americans.

“It’s a new experience for me,” Grant, who was still wearing his Sabres jersey and equipment, told the Times Herald. “Obviously, I’m excited ... Read the full article