WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Calder Cup Playoffs Edition
Auston Matthews scored two goals and added a nifty assist Monday. ©2018, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – The NHL’s worst team can certainly tease you. Before Monday’s 5-2 loss, in the last week, the Buffalo Sabres had beaten the Nashville Predators and the Maple Leafs, two heavyweights.
A week ago, the Sabres defeated the 48-win Maple Leafs here 3-2, ending their 13-game home winning streak. On Saturday, the Sabres triumphed 7-4 in Nashville, kicking around the league’s best team.
But the Sabres have demonstrated little consistency this trying season. Dreadful ... Read the full article
Sam Reinhart (23) battles Montreal’s Nick Deslauriers on March 23. ©2018, Hickling Images
TORONTO – In the toughest days of his season, as Sam Reinhart endured goal droughts of 10 and 15 games, the Buffalo Sabres winger said he never changed a thing.
Reinhart, 22, kept preparing the same way each day. Thirty-eight games into his third NHL season, he had mustered only five goals and 11 points.
But Reinhart trusted his approach would pay dividends.... Read the full article
Sam Reinhart scored three goals Saturday. ©2018, Hickling Images
TORONTO – In the toughest days of his season, as Sam Reinhart endured goal droughts of 10 and 15 games, the Buffalo Sabres winger said he never changed a thing.
Reinhart, 22, kept preparing the same way each day. Thirty-eight games into his third NHL season, he had mustered only five goals and 11 points.
But Reinhart trusted his approach would pay dividends.... Read the full article
Victor Antipin’s rookie season is over. ©2018, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – A seething Phil Housley paused before answering the question. The Buffalo Sabres coach clearly wanted to choose his words carefully while still expressing his anger over the NHL’s decision not to suspended Scott Hartnell.
In Saturday’s 7-4 win in Nashville, the Predators forward hit Sabres defenseman Victor Antipin from behind, knocking his head into the glass. The rookie was probably out cold before his body hit the ice.
Antipin will miss the ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo played other sports growing up. ©2018, Hickling Images
TORONTO – Kyle Okposo nearly ended his hockey career as a rambunctious child when he knocked over his family’s Christmas tree. Years later, the Buffalo Sabres winger briefly gave up the sport, choosing instead to focus on basketball and football.
Tonight’s tilt against the Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre will be Okposo’s 667th NHL game. In his 10-year, career, he has been an NHL All-Star and scored 171 goals and 456 points. Two ... Read the full article
Victor Antipin went to the hospital Saturday. ©2018, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Victor Antipin is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion, broken nose, facial lacerations and dental injuries when Scott Hartnell hit him into the glass in Saturday’s 7-4 win in Nashville, the team announced today.
Antipin, 25, was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center following the hit and released later Saturday night. The Russian traveled from Nashville with the Sabres today.
Since the Sabres have four games left the season, starting ... Read the full article
Victor Antipin was transported to a hospital following a scary hit Saturday. ©2018, Hickling Images
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Victor Antipin is “doing good” after being transported to a Nashville hospital following a scary hit from behind in Saturday’s 7-4 win against the Predators, coach Phil Housley said.
Update: Antipin has been released from the hospital, according to the Sabres. The team will provide more information later today.
At the 14:09 mark of the second period, Predators forward Scott Hartnell hit Antipin in the back at the end boards, knocking the ... Read the full article
This is Adam Wilcox’s third trip to the NHL. ©2018, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – Early in goalie Adam Wilcox’s childhood, the NHL hadn’t returned to Minnesota yet. So the South St. Paul resident began cheering for legendary goalie Dominik Hasek and, ironically, the Sabres.
“Minnesota didn’t have a team, so I always rooted for Hasek and the Sabres,” the loquacious Wilcox said Friday after the Sabres recalled him from the AHL.
Wilcox, 25, couldn’t stop smiling during his short chat with the media. He said his third ... Read the full article
Ryan O’Reilly takes a faceoff Thursday. ©2018, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – By the end of Phil Housley’s run with the Nashville Predators, Bridgestone Arena had morphed into perhaps the NHL’s noisiest rink.
A thrilling run to the Stanley Cup final can do that.
So in addition to facing the league’s best team in Housley’s return to Nashville tonight, the last-place Sabres must also deal with a raucous crowd.
“Saturday night in Nashville – any night – but mostly Saturday night, it’s really a tough ... Read the full article
Adam Wilcox has sported a Sabres mask all season. ©2018, Hickling Images, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Early in goalie Adam Wilcox’s childhood, the NHL hadn’t returned to Minnesota yet. So the South St. Paul resident began cheering for legendary goalie Dominik Hasek and, ironically, his newest team.
“Minnesota didn’t have a team, so I always rooted for Hasek and the Sabres,” the loquacious Wilcox said today after the Sabres recalled him from the AHL.
Wilcox, 25, spent time in the NHL last season, dressing as a backup five times ... Read the full article
