SabreSpace

'After missing eight games with a groin injury, Smehlik returned to Buffalo's lineup for 4 minutes, 32 seconds on Wednesday before leaving the game with torn rib cartilage.' … [Read more...] about Smehlik likely to miss two weeks

'Like most veterans, Gilmour doesn't feel he's slowed, just that there are bigger, faster players wandering around. Playing with young Pavel Bure-clone Maxim Afinogenov and the monstrous Chris Gratton, it's easy to see how Gilmour would be left with that impression.' … [Read more...] about Gilmour eyes final playoff

'The Sabres have the NHL's third best goals-against average (2.34), trailing only San Jose (2.27) and Colorado (2.31). Much of that is due to the NHL's most efficient penalty kill (87.1 per cent), a lead they share with the Sharks.' … [Read more...] about Canucks preview

'Defenseman Richard Smehlik, one of the Buffalo Sabres top penalty killers, will miss up to two weeks with a rib cartilage injury. Smehlik was hurt when he was checked into the boards in the first period of Wednesday's 6-3 win over the New York Rangers.' … [Read more...] about Sabres Smehlik out two weeks

'It will be two more days until Donald Audette can pull a Buffalo Sabres game jersey over his shoulder pads. And after watching his new team beat the New York Rangers, 6-3, Wednesday night in HSBC Arena along with 18,205 fans, that day can't come soon enough.' … [Read more...] about Heinze adds flavor to Sabres' victory

'The Sabres don't need thinkers. They need scorers. Heinze couldn't have asked for a better start to his career in Buffalo than the game he played Wednesday night in a 6-3 win over the Rangers. He found the net six minutes into his debut, joining Danny Gare, Rob Ray, Alexander Mogilny, Denis Hamel and J.P. Dumont among those who scored on their first shot for the … [Read more...] about Newest Sabre hits the ice in high gear

'The Sabres have yet to stitch the widely respected captain's "C" onto a jersey all season. That could change now that Tuesday's trade deadline has passed, making it a virtual lock that center Michael Peca won't be a Sabre this season . . . and quite possibly ever.' … [Read more...] about Ruff thinks about 'C' change

With five goals in his last seven outings, Sabre sniper J.P. Dumont is warming up at the right time. Something about the Rangers also seems to bring out his “A” game. … [Read more...] about Dumont's New York State of Mind

'"I think without a doubt they were determined to teach me a lesson right from the get-go," said Peca, speaking of the Sabres, for whom he has not played this season because of a contract dispute.' … [Read more...] about Peca Is Still Unhappy With Sabres

'Messier's assist on Radek Dvorak's first-period goal gave him 1,771 career points, fewer than only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. But after that goal tied the score midway through the first period, Buffalo broke it open with three second-period goals.' … [Read more...] about Rangers Fall, But Mess Ties Marcel

'Michal Grosek and Kim Johnsson scored third-period power-play goals to make the final score respectable.' … [Read more...] about Rangers' Klou can do

'After stellar performances against Ottawa and Pittsburgh, Rangers goaltender Guy Hebert looked shaky against the Sabres.' … [Read more...] about Graves, Still Here, Stuck in Slump

'Defenseman Rich Pilon was ejected 10:12 into the game for jumping Buffalo's Vaclav Varada. Varada had knocked Pilon out of a game Feb. 6 in New York with a high hit that caused a concussion.' … [Read more...] about Graves must get it in gear to remain with Rangers

'With newly acquired Steve Heinze opening the scoring on his first shot, the Sabres spoiled Mark Messier's milestone night with a 6-3 victory Wednesday over the New York Rangers.' … [Read more...] about Sabres 6, Rangers 3

'The Buffalo Sabres were having trouble scoring. Then the New York Rangers came to town.' … [Read more...] about Buffalo 6, NY Rangers 3