WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
BUFFALO – Cody Hodgson said he loves exploring cities. On the road, where he’s on pace to play an NHL-record 48 games this season, the 22-year-old Sabres center tries to see all the sights.
Hodgson just visited Times Square last week prior to his first game in New York. The Toronto native rates Dallas – sorry, Sabres fans – and Nashville among his favorite cities.
One day recently, Hodgson hopped in his rental car and ... Read the full article
Alex Ovechkin’s Capitals have 84 points. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In reality, it’s a single game for the Sabres, one of 82 regular-season contests. Tonight’s anticipated eight-versus-nine tilt in Washington is potentially worth two points for them, just like any other game.
If the Sabres win, break their tie with the Capitals (84 points) and move into eighth place, they could quickly lose the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot again. Don’t forget, they stayed there less than a day after grabbing it Saturday.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Beaten down, broken and seemingly finished at several points this season, the Sabres’ tight 3-1 triumph over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday – their 18th win in 28 tries – bumped the scorching club into the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.
On Feb. 17, the Sabres fell into the cellar, nine points out of the last postseason spot.
If the Sabres, who lead ninth-place Washington by two points (84-82), hold on, the ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – The Sabres’ shocking resurgence – one that’s vaulted them from the Eastern Conference basement to a points tie with eighth-place Washington in 33 days – can be attributed to several factors.
The banged-up defense corps has stayed healthy and locked down. Several slumping stars have started scoring again, giving the team a secondary scoring attack. A few youngsters have contributed immediately upon their arrival from Rochester.
Most notably, though, Ryan Miller began playing ... Read the full article
Illness has sidelined Andrej Sekera the last five games. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Ten days ago, as Andrej Sekera was preparing for warm-ups prior to the Sabres’ tilt against Carolina, the defenseman began feeling ill.
“Just came out of nowhere,” Sekera said Friday after practicing inside the First Niagara Center. “My stomach hurt before the game, and then it just hit me – fever, headaches.”
Sekera sat that game, and then hoped to play two nights later in Ottawa.
Instead, the Slovak’s condition “got worse and ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Don’t fret, Sabres fans. The Foligno jump is coming. It’ll just have to take place following Marcus Foligno’s second goal.
The top prospect planned to honor his father, popular former Sabres captain Mike Foligno, by leaping into the air to celebrate his first big league score.
Mike jumped after about every one of his 355 goals from 1979-94. Marcus’ brother Nick Foligno, a Senators winger, paid homage once as a rookie in 2007.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – It was instantly better. Upon his arrival from Vancouver on Feb. 27, Alexander Sulzer went from the Canucks’ eighth defenseman to the Sabres’ seventh.
Yes, the German was still a spare part. But moving up one slot made him that much closer to playing, something he had only done 12 times in Vancouver all season. Sulzer was a healthy scratch an incredible 51 times.
“Obviously, since there are only seven defensemen, if ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Sabres winger Thomas Vanek, who left Thursday’s 3-1 loss in Boston after the Bruins’ Johnny Boychuk leveled him, is questionable (upper body) for tonight’s game in Ottawa against the Senators.
“Thomas is doing OK,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told reporters Friday in Ottawa. “I can’t answer that question (if Vanek will play). I think it all just depends on how he’s feeling tomorrow.”
Vanek didn’t practice Friday. Neither did winger Patrick Kaleta, who ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – In the first period Wednesday, after the lethargic Sabres coasted back during a power play and nearly fell behind 2-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes, Lindy Ruff finally had enough.
When the guilty players reached the bench, the coach reamed them out.
“The first period, it wasn’t a great period on our part,” Ruff said following the Sabres’ 3-2 overtime triumph inside the First Niagara Center. “Some of it was execution. Some of it ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Go ahead, pick the dates the underachieving Sabres appeared finished and primed to play out the string for a lottery pick.
There are plenty, you know.
There was that embarrassing 5-0 dismantling Jan. 16 in Detroit, after which an emotional Ryan Miller said a trade wouldn’t help the Sabres. Two nights later, the Blackhawks throttled them 6-2 in Chicago, the third of five straight losses on a six game-trip.
On Feb. 16, the ... Read the full article