Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

When will Rasmus Dahlin return to the Sabres following the Olympics?

BUFFALO – The Sabres expect captain Rasmus Dahlin to return to the team on Sunday or Monday following his stint representing Team Sweden at the Olympics.

Dahlin, 25, registered one goal and five points in five games during the Milano Cortina Games. Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Team USA in the quarterfinals eliminated Sweden from the tournament.

The defenseman also played for Sweden in the 2018 Olympics.... Read the full article

After injury costs him Olympics, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen focused on earning playoff spot

BUFFALO – When reality set in and Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen realized his lower-body injury would force him to miss the Olympics, he felt crushed.

Luukkonen had long hoped he could represent Team Finland at the Milano Cortina Games, and early last month, he earned a coveted roster spot.

Then on Jan. 27 in Toronto, nine days before the NHL paused its season for the tournament, he tweaked something early in the Sabres’ ... Read the full article

Watching sister, Joy, and girlfriend, Ella Shelton, compete at Olympics special for Sabres’ Josh Dunne

BUFFALO – When Sabres forward Josh Dunne recently traveled to Italy to watch his sister, Joy, a forward for Team USA, and his girlfriend, Ella Shelton, a defenseman for Team Canada, compete in the Olympics, he set some ground rules for when the countries faced each other.

“I was sitting with my family, and my girlfriend’s family was right behind me,” Dunne said of the Feb. 10 meeting, a 5-0 shellacking the heavyweight Americans laid ... Read the full article

Sabres’ UPL, Zach Benson near return; Jordan Greenway trying new treatment for injury

BUFFALO – In the near future, Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and winger Zach Benson, both of whom were injured prior to the Olympic break, could start practicing again, coach Lindy Ruff said.

Ruff said Luukkonen, whose lower-body injury forced him to miss the Milano Cortina Games, skated on his own Wednesday before the Sabres’ first post-break practice.

“He’s within days of joining us,” Ruff said following the session in LECOM Harborcenter.... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Devon Levi happy with Rochester, no longer feels ‘rushed’

BRIGHTON – These days, Devon Levi possesses a narrow focus. Naturally, the Buffalo Sabres prospect thinks about his future. But by embracing what the present offers him, he believes he can achieve his ultimate goal of becoming an elite NHL goalie.

Almost three years after nearly backstopping the Sabres to an unlikely playoff berth just weeks out of college, Levi, 24, has spent all season with the Rochester Americans.

“I know that over time I’ll ... Read the full article

Mature, tenacious style helping Sabres prospect Isak Rosen enjoy special year with Rochester Amerks

ROCHESTER – Isak Rosen’s third goal of the night in his return to the Americans, a nifty two-on-one he converted after Konsta Helenius corralled a bouncing puck and fed his linemate, illustrates the special chemistry the Buffalo Sabres prospects share.

Rosen and Helenius, both of whom will play in tonight’s AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois, have morphed into one of the league’s elite duos.

If Helenius, 19, can feed him the puck, there’s a ... Read the full article

After first taste of NHL, Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius can help Rochester

ROCHESTER – In his last outing before the Buffalo Sabres assigned him to the Americans, rookie Konsta Helenius shared the ice with Pittsburgh Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two hockey icons.

“I watched their highlight videos (growing up), so it was pretty cool,” Helenius said prior to Friday’s game against the Springfield Thunderbirds in Blue Cross Arena.

Earlier in his first trip to the NHL, Helenius, 19, faced Los Angeles Kings defenseman defenseman ... Read the full article

Tage Thompson (72) battles with Pittsburgh’s Kevin Hayes on Thursday.

Sabres look sloppy in loss to Penguins; Buffalo makes roster moves

BUFFALO – In the Sabres’ final outing before the Milano Cortina Games, center Tage Thompson showcased why he earned a coveted spot on Team USA’s stacked Olympic squad.

Thompson was often the best player on the ice in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring his 30th goal and narrowly missing a few more prime chances.

The American certainly outplayed the Penguins’ two biggest stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

On most nights, that ... Read the full article

Sabres scratched Michael Kesselring to ‘just take a breath’

BUFFALO – Instead of dressing defenseman Michael Kesselring for Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff gave the newcomer a chance to reset.

Having battled injuries all year, Kesselring hasn’t found much of a groove. Since training camp, he has dealt with a knee injury and a high ankle sprain he re-injured.

In his first 23 outings, he showcased glimpses of what made him a coveted return in the ... Read the full article

Sabres injury updates: Josh Norris out, Jordan Greenway examining options

BUFFALO – Oft-injured Sabres center Josh Norris won’t return to the lineup before the Olympic break.

Coach Lindy Ruff said this morning that Norris, who has missed the last 11 games with an upper-body injury, will sit out tonight’s contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Norris began practicing again last week.... Read the full article