Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

Sabres notes: Ryan Johnson skates big minutes; Rasmus Dahlin still sidelined

BUFFALO – Instead of easing Ryan Johnson into the lineup, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff tossed the defenseman headfirst into the fray, skating him nearly 21 minutes in his NHL season debut.

Not only did Johnson, 23, play the third-highest total of his short career (20:50), he earned a plum assignment playing alongside Bowen Byram throughout Monday’s 6-5 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

When Johnson’s turnover in the corner led to Alex DeBrincat’s tying ... Read the full article

Sabres stay off ice, likely to make lineup change against Rangers

BUFFALO – One reeling team will earn a much-needed win tonight.

The Sabres have lost seven straight contests (0-4-3) and could go winless during a season-long five-game home stand. Meanwhile, the New York Rangers, a team expected to contend for the Stanley Cup, have dropped two straight contests and eight of their last 10.

Some pregame updates from KeyBank Center, where they Sabres did not skate this morning, are below.... Read the full article

Despite losing streak, struggling Sabres still in thick of playoff chase

BUFFALO – In recent days, as the losses pile up and his frustration mounts, coach Lindy Ruff has often explained some of the Sabres’ problems in detail.

Sometimes as he goes on, occasionally pivoting to another area before he can be questioned about it, it almost sounds like Ruff’s venting.

Can you blame him? The Sabres take a seven-game losing streak (0-4-3) into tonight’s contest against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center, the end ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Mattias Samuelsson ready to play after recovering from injury

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who has missed the last 12 games with a lower-body injury, is expected to return for tonight’s game against the New York Rangers, coach Lindy Ruff said.

Samuelsson, 24, practiced again Tuesday as the Sabres, who have lost seven straight contests (0-4-3), prepared to close their five-game home stand.

The American struggled earlier this season, sitting out three games as a healthy scratch before getting injured in his ... Read the full article

Sabres send Tyson Kozak to Rochester

The Buffalo Sabres this morning sent center Tyson Kozak back to the Rochester Americans following a three-game stint.

Kozak, 21, looked impressive in his first taste of the NHL, scoring one goal. He also had another goal disallowed in his debut Thursday.

“It was a good showing,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said following this afternoon’s practice. “I thought last night a little bit defensively he got run. … His first game, almost a model game ... Read the full article

Sabres blow lead, lose seventh straight game: ‘We need to look in the mirror’

BUFFALO – In the most difficult of times, the reflex is to look for positives. But coach Lindy Ruff has stressed to his reeling Sabres that when they can’t notch victories in the standings, they can’t succumb to moral ones.

Ruff said everyone must do a little more. Nothing comes easy in the NHL.

The Sabres, having lost seven straight games (0-4-3) after imploding late again Monday’s 6-5 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings, ... Read the full article

James Reimer likely starter versus Red Wings; Sabres could make changes

BUFFALO – It appears veteran goalie James Reimer, who did not participate in the Sabres’ optional skate this morning, will start tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, one of his former teams.

No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen skated this morning and also stayed on the ice for extra work following Sunday’s practice.

“I’m not announcing the goalie today,” coach Lindy Ruff, whose Sabres have lost six straight games (0-4-2), said this morning in KeyBank ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Tyson Kozak scores first NHL goal with mother in rink; Buffalo could make lineup changes

BUFFALO – This one couldn’t be taken away from Sabres rookie Tyson Kozak, right? No one interfered with the goalie. No one was offside.

Early in his second NHL game Saturday afternoon, Kozak, 21, zoomed to the net and redirected linemate Beck Malenstyn’s pass behind Utah Hockey Club goalie Karel Vejmelka.

“I had a pretty good feeling it wouldn’t (be disallowed),” said Kozak, whose go-ahead goal in his big league debut Thursday was called ... Read the full article

Reeling Sabres fall apart, lose to Utah: ‘Mentally one of the weakest games’

BUFFALO – The same Sabres team that recently won 10 times in a 15-game stretch now has trouble executing the simplest of plays. The same team that briefly surged into a playoff spot often can’t stay onside or complete a short pass.

As they illustrated throughout Saturday afternoon, the Sabres, who extended their losing streak to six games (0-4-2), are a complete mess.

In a downright embarrassing effort, they endured a 5-2 shellacking from noted ... Read the full article

Injured Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin still being evaluated

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin missed his second straight game with a back injury Saturday afternoon against the Utah Hockey Club.

Coach Lindy Ruff said Dahlin, the Sabres’ top defenseman, is still being evaluated.

The Swede left Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche with back spasms.... Read the full article