Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

In tough times, Sabres’ Jiri Kulich leans on teammates; Injured Matt Grzelcyk in ‘holding pattern’

BUFFALO – After a puck hit Sabres forward Jiri Kulich in the face during a practice late last month, forcing him to miss five games with a concussion, he joked he wondered if he had wronged someone.

“I was telling myself, ‘What I did (do) to someone with my luck?’” Kulich told the Times Herald prior to Friday’s 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in KeyBank Center, his first game since going down Oct. ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Josh Norris breaks out of slump, scores two goals in much-needed home win over Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – When the topic turned to the struggling Josh Norris prior to Friday’s 5-2 victory, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said he had been working with the talented center and a better version of him would materialize.

Norris had mostly been a non-factor for five weeks, registering just two goals and three points in 15 games despite skating on scoring lines and the power play.

Ruff scratched another underperforming forward, Ryan McLeod, on Friday. If ... Read the full article

Sabres to make Ryan McLeod healthy scratch, change defense

BUFFALO – With the Sabres clinging to a 1-0 lead in Wednesday’s third period, forward Ryan McLeod lost a defensive-zone faceoff and allowed his man, center Shane Pinto, to get free in front of goalie Colten Ellis.

Pinto quickly swept in a rebound, the first of two late goals the Ottawa Senators scored in their 2-1 victory.

McLeod has struggled all season, mustering just one goal and three points while compiling a team-worst ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Jake Richard excelling in first weeks with Rochester Amerks

ROCHESTER – The first goal of Buffalo Sabres prospect Jake Richard’s pro career created some confusion.

At first, Richard figured the goal would be credited to the shooter, Americans defenseman Gavin McCarthy, his close friend and a fellow rookie. But teammates told Richard the goal belonged to him.

When he watched a replay, Richard, 22, realized the puck hit him as he battled one of the Toronto Marlies for positioning in front of the net.... Read the full article

Sabres implode late, waste strong effort from Colten Ellis in loss to Senators

BUFFALO – Well, at least the Sabres didn’t chase Wednesday’s contest until late. But make no mistake, like so many of their home games this season, they could’ve easily fallen behind early to the Ottawa Senators.

The Senators generated a point-blank scoring opportunity 11 seconds into the game. Barely 90 seconds in, goalie Colten Ellis bailed the Sabres out again, using his right pad to stymie Michael Amadio’s backdoor chance from the bottom of the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Sam Carrick took ‘scenic route’ to 400 NHL games, still feeling injury suffered in fight

BUFFALO – Sabres forward Sam Carrick joked that he took the scenic route to reaching the 400-game milestone in the NHL.

Carrick, 34, began his pro career 14 years ago in Boise, Idaho, playing 50 games for the ECHL’s Steelheads before graduating to the AHL, where he spent most of the next eight seasons.

While he occasionally earned recalls to the big leagues – he amassed 47 appearances in his first nine seasons – he ... Read the full article

Colten Ellis expected to start as Sabres begin goalie rotation; Jiri Kulich, Conor Timmins available to play

BUFFALO – In the opening month of the season, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff utilized the hot hand in net. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started five straight games. Colten Ellis twice earned two consecutive nods.

But with tonight’s contest against the Ottawa Senators kicking off a stretch of six games in 11 days, Ruff said he plans to start rotating his goalies.

Ellis, who earned two road wins last week, is expected to play tonight.... Read the full article

After position change, Sabres star Tage Thompson heats up, eyes 50-goal mark: ‘You can see he’s dominant’

BUFFALO – It can be argued no NHL player has performed more dynamically over the past week than Tage Thompson, who scored five goals and eight points and buoyed the Sabres’ three-game win streak.

During that short stretch, Thompson has produced more than Connor McDavid, the superstar on pace for just the fifth 200-point season in NHL history and the first by a player not named Wayne Gretzky.

Of course, Thompson, 29, almost certainly ... Read the full article

Injury updates on Sabres’ Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich and Conor Timmins

BUFFALO – Winger Zach Benson practiced this morning and will be available to play when the Sabres begin their four-game home stand Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators, coach Lindy Ruff said.

“Went well for Benson,” Ruff said following the session in KeyBank Center.

Benson, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 road win against the Los Angeles Kings, missed Monday’s practice. He skated on his own before today’s session.... Read the full article

Injury news on Sabres’ Alex Lyon, Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich and Conor Timmins

BUFFALO – Hey, considering the adversity they battled, the Sabres enjoyed a pretty solid opening month.

Was it up the lofty standard they set last season? Hardly. But a team that kept falling behind multiple goals seemingly each night and had 11 players miss time with injuries finished October with a 7-4-3 record and has points in eight of its last nine games.

Last week, the Sabres finally found a groove, closing their four-game road ... Read the full article