Buffalo News

'One look at the standings -- where the Sabres are last in the NHL with a 6-15-4 record -- is the obvious first reason why a franchise that had a waiting list for season tickets just a few years ago couldn't get its most ardent customers to fill up 10 percent of its arena for its first game with fans since March 9, 2020.' … [Read more...] about Sabres move on to general public ticket sales for March 20 return of fans

'The Sabres (6-15-4), now 0-8-1 in their last nine games and 31st in the NHL with 16 points in 25 games, were already without Jack Eichel, who left Buffalo to seek a second opinion on an upper-body injury that has sidelined him for consecutive games.' … [Read more...] about Observations: ‘Bad hit’ on Dylan Cozens looms larger than another Sabres loss

'The Pegulas clearly don't want to pay Ralph Krueger to go away, so they'll just sit and let their hockey team rot while they pat themselves on the back for paying Matt Milano. Fair enough. Good move there by Brandon Beane & Co. Meanwhile, Kevyn Adams is frozen in shock.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Schedule, calendar make for a sobering Sabres reality

'Johansson allowed four goals on 26 shots, including a routine wrister by Anthony Angello early in the third period, in a 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in KeyBank Center.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Rough night for Johansson ends in 5-2 Sabres loss

'TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported recently that the Edmonton Oilers have called Adams about Staal. Several teams likely will be looking to acquire a center who has totaled more than 1,000 points while appearing in more than 1,000 regular-season games. Staal has appeared in 62 playoff games, including 25 during the Carolina Hurricanes’ run to the Stanley Cup in 2006, since he was … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Eric Staal ‘not really thinking about’ possible trade to contender

'Instead of being off the books in 2023, Okposo would count $1 million on the cap in both the 2023-24 and 24-25 seasons, but he can't possibly be in this lineup anymore. He really shouldn't be in the lineup this week. Can't believe why he hasn't been put on waivers or scratched yet. He's got no goals and two assists in 19 games. Being a nice guy should only get you so far.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: If he’s not firing the coach, what should Kevyn Adams do now?

'The Penguins, meanwhile, are 10-0-2 in their last 12 games in Buffalo and have not lost one in regulation since April 23, 2013.' … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Crosby & Co. hit town looking to cash in again at KeyBank Center

'Tickets may be purchased in pods of one, two, three or four seats. They may not be forwarded or resold.' … [Read more...] about Tickets on sale Thursday for Sabres March 20 opener; Testing plans for fans revealed

'“We have to learn how to play with a lead and just go play,” said winger Taylor Hall, who assisted on both Reinhart goals. “Let’s be serious: we’re a lot of points out of the playoffs. We should just be playing loose and just go and play free.”' … [Read more...] about Observations: Sabres’ next task is learning how to hold on to a lead

'Johansson did not stop either Flyers shootout attempt.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Sabres put up more of a fight, lose 5-4 in a shootout to Flyers

'A viable Hart Trophy candidate with a career-high 36 goals last season, Eichel has gone 13 consecutive games without a goal and is shooting a career-low 3.3%. He is the latest Sabres player to endure bad injury luck, joining defenseman Jake McCabe and winger Zemgus Girgensons, both of whom are out for the season.' … [Read more...] about Sabres center Jack Eichel to miss at least one week with upper-body injury

'One of the NHL’s bright young defensemen, Dahlin has grown accustomed to the sometimes overwhelming emotion that comes with failure. He’s experienced more than his fair share during his third season in the NHL. Entering Monday, Dahlin owned a league-worst minus-21 rating – on pace for minus-75 if this were an 82-game season – and advanced metrics illustrate how he’s struggling … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin experiencing growing pains in new role on defense

'“It’s not a fun time,” bemoaned Krueger. “These aren’t easy times, but truly they are times where you could grow and learn if you take the right lessons out of it. We need to find lessons right now and really evaluate everything that’s within our control as coaches and work together with the players to pull ourselves together. The only way we’re going to get out of this is … [Read more...] about Sabres notebook: Special teams could provide pathway to snapping skid

'There’s no doubt the Sabres have had poor shooting luck this season, but they have also had a bizarrely difficult time getting to the dangerous areas of the ice with any degree of regularity. Consider where they shoot from on 5-on-5 (in which the team is 31st in rate scoring) compared to the power play (in which the team is third in rate scoring), courtesy HockeyViz...'. … [Read more...] about Travis Yost’s Sabre Metrics: Buffalo’s lines don’t threaten interior of opposing defenses

'Across the three straight games against the Islanders, the Sabres were outscored 15-6, including 8-1 in the second period. Buffalo failed to record double-digit shots in any of the first eight periods of the series, a streak that ended with its surge in the final 20 minutes Sunday.' … [Read more...] about Observations: Jeff Skinner’s goal can’t mask Sabres’ mistakes in 5-2 loss