WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Sean Malone celebrates his second-period goal Friday. ©2023, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Three goals from captain Michael Mersch, more than the Americans had in their first two playoff games. An early score from rookie Isak Rosen, whose play, coach Seth Appert acknowledged, wasn’t good enough early in the series. The late go-ahead goal from rookie Jiri Kulich, who missed the first two contests.
After falling in a 2-0 hole in their best-of-five AHL North Division semifinal series, the Buffalo Sabres’ affiliate sorely needed its best ... Read the full article
Rochester’s Tyson Kozak (left) fights Utica’s Tyce Thompson on April 1. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – In the moment, Buffalo Sabres prospect Tyson Kozak had no idea he was fighting Tage Thompson’s brother.
“I just stood up and then we just went,” Kozak, a rookie forward with the Americans, said of his scrap with Utica Comets forward Tyce Thompson.
Kozak, 20, pummeled Thompson after getting knocked to the ice April 1, landing several uppercuts. Not surprisingly, the bout went viral because he trounced the brother of the Sabres’ ... Read the full article
Buffalo prospect Filip Cederqvist is learning to utilize his big body in Rochester. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Earlier in his career, Buffalo Sabres prospect Filip Cederqvist never paid much of a price if he skated to the net.
In his native Sweden, Cederqvist said, you’re not allowed to box out.
“You can just almost stand in front of the net and nothing’s going to happen,” he told the Times Herald on Tuesday following the Americans’ off-ice workout in Blue Cross Arena.
Cederqvist has learned when he tries to park his ... Read the full article
Filip Cederqvist celebrates one of his goals in Friday’s loss. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – In scoring his first two goals for the Americans, rookie Filip Cederqvist showcased why he has developed into one of the Buffalo Sabres’ most intriguing forward prospects.
Early in the second period of Friday’s 6-5 overtime loss, Cederqvist, 22, grabbed Isak Rosen’s pass beside the net on the power play and quickly stuffed the puck past Cleveland Monsters goalie Daniil Tarasov.
The 6-foot-3, 196-pound Cederqvist scored another power-play goal midway through the period, ... Read the full article
Rochester’s Anders Bjork (left) battles Belleville captain Dillon Heatherington on Wednesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Prior to scoring Wednesday’s overtime winner, Americans winger Anders Bjork looked rusty in his season debut.
Having served as the Sabres’ 14th forward before clearing waivers on Tuesday, he hadn’t played in 12 days. He joined the Amerks the morning of their 4-3 win against the Belleville Senators, participated in a short skate and was thrown into the lineup.
Not surprisingly, Bjork, a veteran of 211 NHL games, struggled at times to win ... Read the full article
Rochester rookie Isak Rosen (left) celebrates his goal with Sean Malone on Friday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Americans winger Isak Rosen took off from the point, moving up as a penalty killer stumbled in his pursuit of defenseman Lawrence Pilut.
As Pilut fended off some hectoring, he fed the open Swede a soft pass in the right circle.
“Got it right into the wheelhouse,” Rosen said following Friday’s 4-2 win over the Toronto Marlies at Blue Cross Arena, his AHL debut.
The Sabres prospect unleashed a wicked one-timer, beating ... Read the full article
Matt Savoie played three preseason games for Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres on Saturday assigned center Matt Savoie to his junior team and loaned 21 players to the Rochester Americans, their AHL affiliate.
They have 31 healthy players left in training camp. They must finalize their 23-man regular-season roster by 5 p.m. on Oct. 10.
The Sabres gave Savoie, the ninth overall pick this year, a long look during camp, awarding him three preseason games before sending to the Winnipeg Ice. Savoie, 18, was ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie signed with Buffalo during the summer. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – After watching the first two preseason games, Sabres goalie Eric Comrie will likely be making his debut in tonight’s road contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Sabres, of course, expect Comrie, 27, to play a significant number of games this season or earn the starting job. He signed a two-year, $3.6 million contract during the offseason.
The rest of tonight’s game roster features mostly prospects and players ticketed for the Rochester Americans.... Read the full article
Brandon Biro (center) celebrates one of his goals Tuesday with Henri Jokiharju and Alex Tuch. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In the first week of training camp, the Sabres have often been placing forward prospects with established talent, offering Brandon Biro, Lukas Rousek, Linus Weissbach and others special development opportunities.
The reasoning is simple: coach Don Granato believes his veterans will send consistent messages about what the Sabres want collectively as a team.
In Tuesday’s 2-1 preseason victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank Center, some of those prospects ranked among the best ... Read the full article
Matt Savoie also played in Sunday afternoon’s preseason opener. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Matt Savoie has integrated so quickly that coach Don Granato feels comfortable playing the rookie between veterans.
So tonight, less than a week into his first NHL training camp, Savoie, 18, will center Casey Mittelstadt and Kyle Okposo against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Savoie, the ninth overall pick this year, also played in Sunday afternoon’s preseason opener, a 4-3 overtime road win against the Washington Capitals.... Read the full article