WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
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Chris Stewart knows he must play physically if he’s not scoring. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Struggling Sabres winger Chris Stewart has three goals in 27 games this season, skated less than 10 minutes in each of his last two appearances and recently had his coach accuse him of doing “pirouettes” on the ice.
Still, a seething Stewart said getting scratched for the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday was “a big surprise.”
“I’m not happy about it,” Stewart said Wednesday following a long skate. ... Read the full article
Chris Stewart has three goals this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Struggling Sabres winger Chris Stewart has three goals in 27 games this season, skated less than 10 minutes in each of his last two appearances and recently had his coach accuse him of doing “pirouettes” on the ice.
Still, a seething Stewart called getting scratched for Tuesday’s 1-0 win against Los Angeles a “big surprise.”
“I’m not happy about it,” Stewart said today inside the First Niagara Center. “I don’t agree with being ... Read the full article
The Sabres’ Tyler Ennis (63) scores the game’s lone goal Tuesday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – While there has been no official designation, Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth started again Tuesday, his seventh nod in the last eight games.
Two months into the season, the 26-year-old Swede has quietly become the rebuilding team’s No. 1 netminder, showcasing a calm, steady style each night.
Enroth dazzled again Tuesday in the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, stopping 34 shots and outdueling counterpart Jonathan Quick, a ... Read the full article
Chris Stewart has struggled this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Instead of walking into the dressing room following a long skate Tuesday morning, struggling Sabres winger Chris Stewart veered off and undressed somewhere else.
A few minutes later, a staff member wheeled in Stewart’s equipment on a shopping cart and placed it in his locker.
Clearly, Stewart, a healthy scratch for the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings, wasn’t in the mood to discuss his benching.
“All players have to play ... Read the full article
Jamie McBain signed with Los Angeles last month. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – No one wanted Jamie McBain.
When the Sabres refused to tender a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent in June, the defenseman found zero suitors on the open market. Late in the summer, McBain received a tryout in Arizona’s training camp. After the Coyotes let him go, he went home to Minnesota.
“It was a long summer, especially October, just sitting there watching all the games,” McBain, who joined the Los ... Read the full article
Nikita Zadorov skates this morning. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Naturally, Russia recently put Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov on its preliminary roster for the upcoming world junior championship. The country has nothing to lose by adding the 19-year-old’s name.
The Sabres, of course, can keep Zadorov if they want.
But would they actually let Zadorov, who skates more than 20 minutes some nights beside Rasmus Ristolainen, join his country for the tournament?
“I just read it for the first time myself that ... Read the full article
Chris Stewart scores Nov. 26, his second goal this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Less than two weeks ago, Chris Stewart appeared to turn a corner. The 6-foot-2, 231-pound Sabres winger scored two nifty breakaway goals during a three-game stretch, just his second and third goals this season.
But Stewart has done little since then, so Sabres coach Ted Nolan will make the 27-year-old a healthy scratch for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings inside the First Niagara Center.
“All players have to play to the ... Read the full article
Cody Hodgson has one goal and three points this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Just under 11 minutes into Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Florida, Cody Hodgson grabbed a loose puck in the corner and beat a Panthers defender along the wall. The Sabres center then cut to the middle and fended off two more Panthers before deftly feeding Drew Stafford, who one-timed the perfect pass in the net from the left circle.
“For him to have that vision to make a play like that, just goes to ... Read the full article
Rasmus Ristolainen put his stick in his face Monday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As players trickled off the ice Monday following practice, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen suddenly bolted down the hallway holding his nose and went to the trainer’s room.
What happened?
Ristolainen apparently got caught in a rut on the ice, and his stick hit him in the face as he fell backward. The youngster will be OK, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.
It’s a good thing, because the Sabres are running low on defensemen. ... Read the full article
Tyson Strachan could return Tuesday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As players trickled off the ice today following practice, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen suddenly bolted down the hallway holding his nose and went to the trainer’s room.
What happened?
Ristolainen apparently got caught in a rut on the ice, and his stick hit him in the face as he fell backward. The youngster will be OK, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.
It’s a good thing, because the Sabres are running low on defensemen. ... Read the full article