WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
December Edition
Mason Geertsen (55) gets into a scuffle against Utah Nov. 12 ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon waived tough guy Mason Geertsen to create roster space, most likely to activate winger Jason Zucker from injured reserve.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday that Zucker, has missed the last eight games battling illness, will be available for Friday’s home game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
If Geertsen, 30, clears waivers, he will likely be assigned to the Rochester Americans.... Read the full article
Calgary’s Yegor Sharangovich skates in on Buffalo goalie Colten Ellis on Wednesday. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – For a while in Wednesday’s wretched 6-2 loss to the hapless Calgary Flames, it felt like the Sabres would avoid disaster and defeat the NHL’s worst team.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first period, they raced back and tied the game late in the second before the crowd of 15,213 fans in KeyBank Center.
Against the league’s lowest-scoring team that was playing its backup goalie a night after losing by three goals ... Read the full article
Zach Benson has been injured twice this season. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The oddest stretch of Zach Benson’s young career is likely over. The diminutive Sabres winger rejoined his teammates for Wednesday’s pregame skate and hopes he can play in the coming days.
Two injuries – a seemingly innocent cut that forced him to be hospitalized the day before the season opener and a lower-body ailment – have kept him out of 12 of the Sabres’ first 20 games, including the last nine after a ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson crashed the net hard in Monday’s win over Edmonton. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In each of the last two games, Sabres center Tage Thompson has confidently freewheeled through the neutral zone and carried the puck with authority into enemy territory.
In Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win, he beat Detroit Red Wings star Alex DeBrincat in the left circle before cutting to the net and tucking the puck past goalie John Gibson as he fell to the ice.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Thompson nearly scored a similar goal in ... Read the full article
Michael Kesselring has played just nine times this season. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring, who left Saturday’s game after suffering a lower-body injury, will be sidelined “an extended period of time,” coach Lindy Ruff said.
“On the longer side,” Ruff said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “Weeks.”
Kesselring, 25, left the Sabres’ 5-4 overtime win in Detroit after he hit Red Wings forward Emmitt Finnie about halfway through the game. He took another shift later in the second period and one early ... Read the full article
Noah Ostlund enjoyed his best night in the NHL on Monday. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In the next week or so, two of the Sabres’ top forwards, Josh Norris and Jason Zucker, should be ready to play, meaning some difficult roster decisions will likely materialize.
After center Noah Ostlund’s slick two-goal performance in Monday’s 5-1 shellacking of the Edmonton Oilers, it’s hard to imagine the Sabres will create room by sending the rookie back to the Rochester Americans.
Ostlund, 21, dazzled in his 11th NHL game this season ... Read the full article
The absences of Jason Zucker (left) and Josh Norris have left Buffalo without two scoring threats. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Among the 1,300 or so players who participated in NHL preseason games, Sabres center Josh Norris stood out as perhaps the most dynamic performer.
It can be hard to put much stock in exhibition contests, but the oft-injured Norris, who participated in Monday’s pregame skate, looked ready to seize his role as the Sabres’ top pivot following a full summer of training.
Then late in the season opener Oct. 9, he suffered an ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson scored and created a goal in Saturday’s win. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Early in Saturday’s overtime, Sabres center Tage Thompson used his 10-inch, 40-pound size advantage to knock Alex DeBrincat to the ice after the Detroit Red Wings star blocked his shot in the right circle.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Thompson grabbed the puck and backhanded it to defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who beat goalie John Gibson to secure the Sabres’ unlikely 5-4 win in Detroit.
Three-on-three overtime, of course, rarely features much physicality. But Thompson, whose ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin missed three games during his temporary leave of absence. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
Captain Rasmus Dahlin rejoined the Buffalo Sabres today in Detroit after taking a temporary leave of absence to return to his native Sweden for a personal matter.
Dahlin, who left the Sabres last Friday, skated with his teammates this morning and will play against the Red Wings tonight.
The defenseman missed the first three games of Buffalo’s road trip.... Read the full article
Alex Lyon was pulled early from Thursday’s game. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s decision to yank goalie Alex Lyon barely six minutes into Thursday’s 6-3 road loss wasn’t performance-related.
“It had nothing to do with Lyon,” Ruff told reporters following the game against the Colorado Avalanche.
No, with the Sabres trailing 2-0 – Martin Necas scored on a breakaway at the 52-second mark before Artturi Lehkonen converted a rebound at the net – replacing Lyon with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen essentially gave them a much-needed ... Read the full article