WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
BUFFALO – The usual fireworks – the goals, fights, yapping and other signs of hatred – never really materialized Friday between the Sabres and Boston Bruins.
Instead, the heated Northeast Division rivals, who had played three memorable games this season, engaged in a dull, low-chance affair inside a pretty quiet First Niagara Center.
The Sabres don’t care about style, though, only the two points a tight 2-1 shootout triumph, their third straight victory, moved them ... Read the full article
Corey Tropp recently sat out a month recovering from a concussion. ©2012, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – On Dec. 9 against Florida, Dmitry Kulikov’s wicked hit concussed gritty Sabres winger Corey Tropp, ending the rookie’s third recall early. Tropp wouldn’t fully recover for nearly two months.
When he had supposedly healed, the Sabres sent Tropp to Rochester on Jan. 2. But the 22-year-old responded poorly to his first three appearances, so the Americans shut him down until Feb. 8, giving him a full month between games.
“It was frustrating at ... Read the full article
Jason Pominville, who usually starts seasons slowly, compiled 14 points in October. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sixty games into the season, Jason Pominville hasn’t shown any signs of letting up. With five points in the last two contests, the Sabres captain already has 23 goals and 59 points, seven more than he had all of last season in 13 fewer appearances.
In a disappointing year for the Sabres, Pominville’s been the only constant presence, showcasing a remarkable consistency right from opening night, when a goal and two assists began ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Bruins winger Brad Marchand, a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, called Buffalo “the worst place in the NHL” during an appearance on a Boston radio station.
“I’m not too excited to go there,” Marchand told WEEI on Thursday morning, “but I’ll be excited to leave.”
Ouch!
Marchand apologized later inside the First Niagara Center. Well, sort of.
“I never meant to offend anyone,” Marchand said after the Bruins prepared for tonight’s game against ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – The Sabres, rested and waiting for the New York Islanders, would’ve had no excuses for losing Tuesday. Not against a team that had been humiliated 6-0 at home the previous afternoon. Not with Kevin Poulin, the rookie goaltender that had lasted just two minutes into his start, getting another nod.
The Isles looked ripe to be exploited inside the First Niagara Center.
Sure enough, the Sabres capitalized early. Tyler Myers scored just 1:21 ... Read the full article
Nathan Gerbe’s goal scoring has dropped dramatically this season. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres sophomore Nathan Gerbe – the collegiate scoring machine, AHL star and NHL rookie that tallied at a 30-goal pace the second half of last season – has five scores this season, including just one in the last 21 games.
Right now, the diminutive Gerbe’s not a scorer; he’s quickly morphed into a strong checker, playing a tenacious left wing on a line with Paul Gaustad and Patrick Kaleta that draws the opposition’s ... Read the full article
Paul Gaustad should be worth a high draft pick, possibly a first-round choice. ©2012, Janet Schultz, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In a seller’s market, with bubble teams clamoring for any asset that might buoy their playoff chances and contenders searching for that last piece, Sabres veteran Paul Gaustad should be coveted at the upcoming NHL trade deadline.
The versatile American, an unrestricted free agent in July, has been at his best recently, centering a strong shutdown line with Nathan Gerbe and Patrick Kaleta.
Gaustad has three goals, including the winning score Sunday, and ... Read the full article
Tyler Ennis’ nifty goal Sunday likely made some highlight reels. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Lost in the excitement of the Sabres’ 6-2 annihilation of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday afternoon was center Tyler Ennis’ quiet highlight-reel goal.
Stationed low in the slot with 3:17 left in the game, Ennis grabbed Zack Kassian’s pass on the forehand, passed/batted the puck to himself and then knocked it in on his backhand.
“I just tried to spin and get a lane for my stick for Kass to pass to,” Ennis ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – On Sunday morning, shortly before the Sabres began their 6-2 shellacking of Pittsburgh, coach Dan Bylsma recalled an earlier defeat the underachieving club had laid on the Penguins.
Back on Oct. 15, the Sabres’ tenacious effort during their 3-2 triumph in Pittsburgh impressed Bylsma, who saw an active, speedy team dictating the game.
Bylsma believed the Sabres would be “a real good team, real dangerous team.” Like many others, he’s stunned they’ve fallen ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Rather than merely shadowing Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin and his wingers Sunday afternoon, Sabres center Paul Gaustad and his checking line planned to aggressively shut down one of the NHL’s best trios.
Gaustad, Nathan Gerbe and Patrick Kaleta – charged with stopping the NHL’s leading scorer, 30-goal man James Neal and Chris Kunitz – would dictate the play.
“We didn’t want to back off on them. If we backed off, it gives ... Read the full article