Buffalo News

'Levi’s time in Rochester this season has been a major success story and a huge addition to his development portfolio. In 19 games, the 22-year-old has posted an 11-5-3 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and a stellar .927 save percentage.' … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Devon Levi loaned back to Amerks for AHL playoff push

'The Sabres were able to celebrate a big win for their teammate but have to be playing the what-if game about the season and their playoff hopes. Buffalo (36-35-5) has 77 points and is just five behind Washington for the final wild-card slot with six games left.' … [Read more...] about Observations: On Jeff Skinner’s big night, Sabres’ win over Caps could have meant much more

'“I don’t want us fixated on it,” Appert told The Buffalo News. “I don’t want us looking ahead. I don’t want us looking at out-of-town scoreboards because you don’t control that stuff. I believe when you start worrying about things out of your control, you stop taking care of things that are in your control. What’s in our control is how good we are today in practice, how … [Read more...] about Rochester Americans not looking to the playoffs yet with North Division undecided

'“It’s disappointing,” he lamented. “It’s one of those things where you’ve just got to keep working. I’m not going to change the past. You can look at different things, whether it’s my first year when we missed out by a point in Carolina, or last season when we were one win short. You can go back and look at what-ifs, but to me, it’s not productive. It’s not going to help you … [Read more...] about 1,000 games into NHL career, Jeff Skinner yearns to finally reach playoffs with Sabres

'The Sabres have yet to win four games in a row this season. They’ve allowed a league-worst 90 goals in the first period and own a negative-33 goal differential in the opening frame of games. Too often, they fall behind, then allow early deficits to snowball into ugly losses. They’re still learning that a simple approach is needed on nights when they’re fatigued or not playing … [Read more...] about As Sabres wrap another .500 month, their players shoulder blame for inconsistent ways

'At some point, Pegula really needs to send us some smoke signal that he gives a damn about what is going on here. We assume he does, but we can’t know for sure since we never hear from him or even see him in the building.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: It’s just theater of the absurd watching the Sabres

'The Sabres (35-35-5) have lost five of their last eight games and went 0 for 6 on the power play against the Maple Leafs. Toronto (42-22-9) owns consecutive wins over Buffalo, but the two teams split the four-game series this season. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 19 saves in the loss.' … [Read more...] about Observations: Austin Matthews scores No. 60, Ilya Samsonov shuts out Sabres in Leafs win

'That said, what was the owner thinking with a contract extension to a coach coming off a 75-point season? Would love to ask him someday if he ever speaks to the media again. The only head coaches with their club longer than Granato are Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan, Colorado’s Jared Bednar, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour and Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe. I count … [Read more...] about Inside the NHL: There’s plenty still to be decided as season finally hits April

'"When he’s feeling it like that, I mean, he’s one of the best players in the world," Sabres winger Alex Tuch said of Thompson. "I feel like he’s dominant out there and he just takes over games and when you’re playing with a guy like that, I’m just trying to create as much room and space and get him the puck as much as possible."' … [Read more...] about Observations: Tage Thompson, Devon Levi spark Sabres in comeback win

'“You do feel like a rookie – it’s wild,” he said, adding that his 1,048 regular-season games are the most on the Florida roster. “You know everybody in the building, you know everybody’s name, you know what makes people tick, the dynamics of the team and coaching staff and you can be a little bit comfortable. That first week here, I didn’t have any of that. I was kind of like, … [Read more...] about Ryan O’Halloran: For Kyle Okposo, a time of adjustment post-trade, anticipation pre-playoffs

'“I think in Rochester, there’s a big focus on development,” said Levi, who posted a .927 save percentage in 19 games with the Amerks. “I think that’s the reason I was there. [Sabres coach Don Granato] and [Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams] let me know we’re using this as a resource for you to get better and to get games. So that’s what I treated it as, as a resource to … [Read more...] about Sabres notebook: Devon Levi in line to get another start to begin back-to-back

'Don Granato is armed with a contract extension that hasn't started. Doesn't even kick in until next season. The owner loves him. General Manager Kevyn Adams loves him. The players say they love him, but they have a funny way of showing it. But there's no way this franchise can move on with Granato next season.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Disgraceful first period showing many of Sabres’ warts should be end for Don Granato

'“He’s given us a chance to win every single night,” Thunderbirds coach Matt O’Dette said. “Arguably, our most valuable player this season. With a younger team, he’s seeing more shots than he normally would, more higher quality chances against, and he’s been up to the task each and every night. He’s done what we’ve asked of him, and you can just see him and his entire game take … [Read more...] about Sabres goalie prospect Scott Ratzlaff took a ‘big step’ through ups and downs in WHL

'This current 5-1 stretch has shown some real swagger against good opponents too: Shootout wins over Carolina and Edmonton, the 7-2 pounding of Las Vegas and 7-3 destruction of Detroit, and the 4-0 blanking of the New York Islanders. The only loss was the 5-2 defeat on a back-to-back against Winnipeg – when the Sabres had a 2-1 lead with 10 minutes to go.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Home is where Sabres’ last hopes lie and they have some sudden swagger here

'“It was just to try to keep getting better and staying engaged in the game,” Quinn said of the lessons from that rehab period. “Never kind of losing it from my brain and watching hockey and stuff like that. I felt like when I came back, there was a little bit of stuff with the timing. But other than that, I was mentally right in.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Jack Quinn returns to practice more than two months after injury