Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

Sabres reassign Ryan MacInnis from Amerks to taxi squad

The Buffalo Sabres this morning reassigned forward Ryan MacInnis from the Rochester Americans to the taxi squad.

The Sabres need another forward for tonight’s game against the San Jose Sharks, so perhaps they will promote MacInnis, 25, to the active roster later today.

Update: Sabres coach Don Granato said this morning MacInnis will play wing tonight. Meanwhile, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal.

The 6-foot-4, 201-pound MacInnis has recorded six goals and 16 points in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Victor Olofsson believes he will start scoring: ‘Knocking on the door’

BUFFALO – Since Sabres winger Victor Olofsson returned from a soft tissue injury Nov. 21, he has recorded zero goals in 17 games, a career-long drought. The Swede hasn’t scored since Oct. 31, when he registered his fifth goal in the season’s eighth contest.

Given his power-play scoring prowess, Olofsson wasn’t prone to long slumps over his first two NHL seasons. His previous career-long goalless stretch was just eight games.

So what’s going on? How ... Read the full article

Sabres relieved as no one enters NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday, as zero Sabres entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Henri Jokiharju, who was held out of Tuesday’s practice as the team awaited test results, skated in Wednesday’s session, giving the Sabres a full defense corps.

“It was a relief on many fronts, just even to run a better practice with six full D,” Granato said of no one entering protocol. “But … they go into ... Read the full article

Brett Murray generating confidence, earning keep with Sabres

BUFFALO – The emotion of the moment overwhelmed Brett Murray, and with the home crowd roaring in approval of his first NHL fight, the normally subdued Sabres rookie did something uncharacteristic.

As the 6-foot-5, 228-pound Murray skated off the KeyBank Center ice last Wednesday, he implored the fans to make more noise, emphatically raising his arms and yelling, “Let’s go!”

“Watching it back, I think I blacked out for a little bit skating off ... Read the full article

Sabres add three more players to NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato said dealing with COVID-19 and the chaos it creates has become “almost a new normal.” For two weeks, the virus has been ravaging the Sabres, forcing players and staff members into the NHL’s protocol and five games to be postponed.

On Tuesday, three more players – forward Anders Bjork, Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch – went into protocol. Granato said the Sabres also held defenseman Henri Jokiharju out of practice ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen entrenching himself as Sabres’ starting goalie

BUFFALO – In starting seven of the last nine games, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has quickly established himself as the Sabres’ backbone, instilling confidence in his teammates and keeping them in every contest.

Luukkonen, 22, was the Sabres’ best player in Saturday afternoon’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins, helping them earn a point despite blowing a two-goal, third-period lead.

“In Boston, I was on my game from the start and felt like I was ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dylan Cozens takes out COVID frustrations with virtual boxing

BUFFALO – After testing positive for COVID-19 for the second time in about 11 months, Sabres center Dylan Cozens said he had some items, including a virtual reality headset, dropped off to his home.

“It goes over your eyes and takes you to a whole another place,” Cozens said following Monday’s practice inside KeyBank Center. “You move your head and stuff. So I was standing in my room like boxing with it.”

Then Cozens, 20, ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect JJ Peterka honored for standout weekend with Amerks

Fresh off his first two NHL appearances, Buffalo Sabres prospect JJ Peterka returned to the AHL brimming with confidence. In two weekend outings, the German recorded two goals and five points for the Rochester Americans.

On Monday, the AHL recognized Peterka’s standout performances, naming him its Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday.

Hours after the Sabres returned Peterka, 19, to the Amerks on Saturday, he registered one goal and three points in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo leaves practice to enter NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – Just when the Sabres appeared to be getting over their COVID-19 problems, two players today, winger Kyle Okposo and defenseman Casey Fitzgerald, entered the NHL’s protocol.

“There’s no question this has been ridiculously challenging,” said Sabres coach Don Granato, who received three players back from protocol for this morning’s practice.

Okposo, 33, started practicing before the Sabres yanked him off the KeyBank Center ice when they learned his test results.

“Everything’s a concern ... Read the full article

Peyton Krebs’ nifty assist creates Alex Tuch’s first goal with Sabres

Having previously played with Peyton Krebs, winger Alex Tuch said he knew a pass was coming before the center’s nifty no-look backhand created his first goal with the Sabres.

“I’m not really surprised that he did that,” Tuch said on a Zoom call following Saturday’s afternoon’s 4-3 overtime loss at TD Garden in Boston. “I saw it coming the whole way.”

Tuch, however, might’ve been the only one in the building who thought Krebs ... Read the full article