Buffalo News

'"I packed first, showered, got in the car, started heading to Pittsburgh as safely as possible, but I was probably going a little too fast," Appert joked on a video call Monday from Blue Cross Arena. "I made it on time around 6:40 but had to get a rapid test and wait 30 minutes for that. I wasn't going to walk on the bench in a middle of a period so I watched the first period … [Read more...] about Sabres notebook: Seth Appert returns to coach Amerks after whirlwind trip to NHL

'"There were so many hurdles. There were so many things that just didn't line up the way we had in mind," said Staal, who was traded to the Canadiens on Friday for two draft picks. "The reality is we started OK. We had an up and down kind of first two weeks or so. We were kind of finding our game, filling our roles and then we got hit with Covid. It went through our room like … [Read more...] about Eric Staal eager to put time with Sabres behind him after trade

'The Sabres have simply gotten not nearly enough goaltending from anyone else, nor have they provided Carter Hutton any goal support during some of his better starts. Hutton, Dustin Tokarski and Jonas Johnasson have combined to go 1-18-2, 3.66/.886.' … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Linus Ullmark almost snared a win in first game back

'But collectors are skeptical. And their concern seems well founded. Watson’s puck has birthed a mystery a half-century in the making, untangled by scattered artifacts, whispering ghosts and the fragmented memories of wrinkled men.' … [Read more...] about A hockey whodunit: Is this $10,000 puck the first goal in Sabres’ history?

'When the final buzzer ended, poor Rasmus Dahlin took his stick in one hand over his head and pounded it on the ice. He's "up" to minus-32 in 33 games. Taylor Hall was bent over at the waist and had to be thinking, "When do I get my exit ticket?" Sam Reinhart, who scored the team's first power-play goal all month – seriously – kicked at the ice.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Pegula’s 70th comes on his team’s 17th. There’s nothing happy about it

'The Sabres' leads after the first and second periods were just the seventh time in 33 games this season that they've led after each frame. Reinhart's goal marked only the 10th time they opened the scoring.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Streak hits 17 as late goal sinks Sabres in Boston

'Granato ran his pregame meetings Thursday morning and then learned of the positive tests, so he and Ellis had to isolate in their hotel rooms, rather than coach the game. Granato and Ellis could not register the required number of negative tests in time for the team plane in the evening after the 4-0 loss to the Penguins, so they returned to Buffalo. They then took a car … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Granato and Ellis behind bench after false positives, long rides

'"Found out about 'Staalsie' right before practice and just got off the ice to go wish him well," said Okposo. "He's a character guy. He's a really good person. He's a good man. He's had a heck of a career to date. And he's gonna continue to play well, so wish him nothing but the best."' … [Read more...] about In dealing Eric Staal to Habs, Kevyn Adams makes first big pre-deadline move

'The team and NHL does not disclose the nature of someone's trip to Covid protocol, but the quick return of the Sabres' coaches is indicative of a false positive test that they produced or was produced by a close contact.' … [Read more...] about Sabres notebook: Granato, Ellis clear Covid protocol and will return to bench Saturday

'“My philosophy is that you just take everything head on, you do your best, you be honest, you put your head down and do the work,” Adams said Thursday evening.” Some days have been extremely challenging, some days have just been challenging. So, it’s all part of it.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres’ latest calamity forces GM Kevyn Adams to coach 16th consecutive loss

'The Sabres had only five shots on goal in the second period and continued to make mistakes in their defensive zone.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Sabres winless streak reaches 16 with 4-0 loss to Penguins

'Across the past two games, the Sabres have allowed 82 shots on goal, including 42 in their first game of a back-to-back against the Penguins.' … [Read more...] about Observations: Sabres’ attempt to push the pace leading to mistakes on defense

'Even the consecutive tank seasons from 2013-15 managed to avoid such a spell of futility.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Sabres set franchise record with 15-game winless streak

'“First of all, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can here,” said Luukkonen, a second-round pick in 2017. “It has been a great experience to be here. We have a lot of great players here, all the coaching staff is really good. There’s a lot to learn from them, and, of course, seeing Linus back on the ice, there’s a lot to learn from him, too. So, I will try to focus on those … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s taxi squad assignment is intro to life as an NHLer

'“It hasn’t been good enough,” Staal lamented Thursday. “I haven’t been good enough.”' … [Read more...] about As trade deadline approaches, Sabres’ Eric Staal focusing on ‘what I can control’