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New Sabres Defenseman Is Already Impressing
The Buffalo Sabres picked up a 5-3 road win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 23. Sabres goalie James Reimer was a major reason for it, as the veteran netminder stopped 33 out of 36 Jets shots.
New Sabres defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker also played a role in Buffalo's victory. The right-shot blueliner recorded two primary assists in the win, which are his first two points with the Sabres. In addition, this is the first time in his five-year NHL career that he has had a multi-assist game.
Seeing Bernard-Docker make an impact in only his second game with the Sabres is quite encouraging. The hope is that the 2018 first-round pick will take that next step in his development after getting this much-needed fresh start with the Sabres. Having a game like this will certainly create more optimism surrounding the 24-year-old blueliner.
The Sabres acquired Bernard-Docker from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline as a part of the Dylan Cozens trade. In 131 career NHL games, he has five goals, 17 assists, and 22 points.
It will be interesting to see how Bernard-Docker builds on his strong performance from here, but this was a great way for him to make an early impression.
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Exciting Sabres Prospect Is Impressing Big Time In AHL
The Buffalo Sabres selected forward Noah Ostlund with the 16th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. With this, the 21-year-old is considered one of the Sabres' most promising prospects.
Ostlund is currently in his first full season with the Rochester Americans after appearing in two games with the AHL squad this past season. So far, the Stockholm, Sweden native has been solid, posting 11 goals and 24 points in 37 games. This is after he started the season off cold by recording just one point in his first 12 games.
Ostlund's play is that he is continuing to improve as this campaign rolls on, and he is in the middle of a long hot streak because of it. In his last 12 games, the 5-foot-11 forward has seven goals to go along with 12 points. He also has 23 points over his previous 25 contests. With numbers like these, he is undoubtedly standing out with the AHL squad.
It will now be fascinating to see how Ostlund will build on his strong play from here. He is clearly adjusting well to the AHL level, and that is very encouraging for the Sabres.
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Buffalo Sabres Sign Interesting Forward Prospect
The Buffalo Sabres have added to their prospect pool, signing forward Tyler Kopff to a two-year entry-level contract, which kicks in next season. In addition, the Sabres announced that Kopff will be on a tryout contract with the Rochester Americans for the rest of this season.
Kopff, 21, spent this season with Brown University, posting nine goals, 19 assists, and 28 points in 32 games. This was after the 6-foot-4 forward had six goals and 18 points in 30 games during his first season with Brown in 2023-24.
Before playing for Brown, Kopff spent the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL. In 107 games with the BCHL squad, he had 42 goals and 93 points.
With this move, the Sabres have now added another interesting forward prospect to their system. It will be fascinating to see how much of an impact the Ridgewood, New Jersey native can make with the Sabres in the future.
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Sabres' Jordan Greenway Exits Jets Matchup With Injury
Buffalo Sabres forward Jordan Greenway left the club's March 23 matchup against the Winnipeg Jets early due to a lower-body injury.
Greenway, 28, blocked a shot from Jets defenseman Colin Miller during the first period of the matchup before exiting. The 6-foot-6 Sabres forward had 4:44 of ice time through six shifts during the contest.
Greenway has appeared in 33 games this season with the Sabres, where he has three goals, five assists, eight points, 100 hits, and a minus-4 rating. He notably missed 23 games of action from mid-December to late February earlier this season due to injury.
Greenway was selected by the Minnesota Wild with the 50th overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. In 434 career NHL games split between the Wild and Sabres, he has 55 goals, 104 assists, 159 points, 747 hits, and a plus-22 rating.
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Former Sabre Dylan Cozens Thriving With New Team
After months of trade rumors, the Buffalo Sabres dealt forward Dylan Cozens to the Ottawa Senators on deadline day in a major move.
In the trade, the Senators acquired Cozens, defenseman Dennis Gilbert, and a 2026 second-round pick, while the Sabres landed forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker.
It was no secret that the Sabres were open to shaking up their roster after performing below expectations yet again this campaign. However, there is no question that Cozens is benefitting from his change of scenery early on.
In his first seven games with the Senators, Cozens has three goals, six points, 28 hits, and a plus-1 rating. This includes scoring a goal in the Senators' most recent matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on March 20.
With numbers like these, Cozens is not only making an impact offensively but also providing plenty of grit for the Senators in the process. He has been looking more like the impactful top-six power forward he was with the Sabres during their 2022-23 season, where he set career highs with 31 goals, 37 assists, and 68 points.
Sometimes, players thrive after getting a fresh start, and Cozens is early on. It will be interesting to see if the former Sabre can keep this kind of play up with the Senators from here.
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Buffalo Sabres Sign Defenseman To Contract Extension
The Buffalo Sabres are keeping one of their defensemen around, signing Jacob Bryson to a one-year, $900,000 contract extension for the 2025-26 season.
Bryson, 27, was a pending unrestricted free agent and could have hit the market on July 1. However, with the Sabres and the left-shot blueliner agreeing to this new deal, he will be sticking around in Buffalo.
Bryson has appeared in 42 games this season with the Sabres, where he has seven assists, 47 blocks, and a minus-4 rating. This was after he posted one goal, eight points, and a plus-5 rating in 36 contests this past season with the Sabres.
Overall, this is a low-risk move by the Sabres. Bryson has been a solid depth defenseman for the Sabres, and he will now continue to be at a reasonable price next season.
The Sabres selected Bryson as the 99th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 248 games over five NHL seasons with the Sabres, he has four goals, 39 assists, 43 points, and a minus-33 rating.
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Ex-Sabres Star Jack Eichel Rewarded For Monster Week
Former Buffalo Sabres star Jack Eichel is in the middle of a career season with the Vegas Golden Knights. In 69 games with Vegas this campaign, the 2015 second-overall pick has scored 23 goals and has already set new career highs with 64 assists and 87 points.
Eichel is only continuing to stay hot as this season rolls on, and he has now been rewarded for it. The former Sabres captain was named the Second Star of the Week by the NHL for the week of March 17 to March 23.
When looking at Eichel's stats during the week, it is easy to understand why he has been named Second Star. He was simply dominant during it, posting two goals and seven points in just three games. This included scoring a goal and recording three assists in Vegas' March 22 contest against the Detroit Red Wings.
Eichel's ongoing hot streak started before this past week, too. In his last 12 games, the North Chelmsford, Massachusetts native has four goals and 18 points.
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Buffalo Sabres Prospect Update – 2021 Draftees – Part 1
Here is a quick update on the prospects the Sabres selected in 2021 who are not currently in the NHL:
Isak Rosen – RW - 14th overall
In his third season with the Amerks, Rosen is leading the club with 51 points (27 goals, 24 assists) in 52 games, earning a spot in the AHL All-Star game, and numerous call-ups to the Sabres this season, but puzzlingly in spite of Buffalo being well out of the playoff race, GM Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff have not given the 22-year-old winger any serious ice time.
Prokhor Poltapov – LW - 33rd overall
The 22-year-old winger slogged through his first two KHL seasons, playing a depth role with CSKA Moscow, but after scoring just 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 56 regular season games, Poltapov has tripled his career-high with 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in his 66 games, but is likely to stay in the KHL for the foreseeable future after signing a two-year contract extension.
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Aleksandr Kisakov – LW - 53rd overall
After a year of getting acclimated to North America, Kisakov started last season shot out of a cannon, but was slowed by injury and ended the campaign with 13 points in 32 games. The winger had a goal and two assists in a pre-season rout of Syracuse, but during the regular season, he has not been able to earn a regular spot in the lineup. In spite of scoring three goals in seven games, the indicators are that the Sabres have soured on the 22-year-old, and Amerks assistant coach Vaclav Prospal said last month that he believes the window is closing on the Russian winger in the Sabres organization.
Stiven Sardarian – D - 88th overall
The 22-year-old Russian winger took a different path, playing in the USHL and then to the NCAA with the University of New Hampshire. After scoring only seven points as a freshman, Sardarian has doubled his totals as a sophomore, with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in 32 games, but this season used the NCAA transfer portal to go to Michigan Tech, where he led the club with 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists) in 35 games.
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Sabres Call Up First-Round Pick & Send Down Forward
The Buffalo Sabres have announced that forward Isak Rosen has been recalled from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. In addition, forward Brett Murray has been re-assigned to Rochester.
Rosen, 22, was just loaned to Rochester by the Sabres on March 18. Now, he is heading back to the Sabres' NHL roster, where he will look to make an impact. In three games this season with Buffalo, the 2021 first-round pick has zero points and a minus-2 rating.
At the AHL level with Rochester, Rosen has been excellent. In 55 games this campaign, he has set new AHL career highs with 27 goals, 27 assists, and 54 points. This includes three points in his last three games with Rochester.
Murray, on the other hand, was called up by the Sabres on March 15. He appeared in his first three NHL games of the season during this call-up, posting zero points, three hits, and a minus-2 rating.
Murray will now once be a key part of Rochester's forward group down the stretch following his demotion. In 55 games this season with the AHL squad, he has 23 goals, 40 points, and a plus-11 rating.
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Buffalo Sabres Prospect Update – 2021 Draftees – Part 2
Here is a quick update on the prospects the Sabres selected in 2021 who are not currently in the NHL:
Olivier Nadeau – RW – 97th overall
A big-scoring winger in the QMJHL, Nadeau had 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 41 games for Jacksonville of the ECHL last season and scored a goal in a brief five-game stint in Rochester. After starting the season and playing two games in October, the 22-year-old was sent to the ECHL to get playing time, but after being recalled on December 5th, he played only two games for the Amerks before being sent back down to Florida.
In 40 games, Nadeau has 43 points (23 goals, 20 assists).
Viljami Marjala – LW – 159th overall
After playing part-time with TPS Turku in 2023, Marjala scored 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 60 games, and had nine points in the playoffs. The 21-year-old is having another good offensive year in Liiga this season and is tied for the scoring lead with 52 points (8 goals, 44 assists) in 54 games. The second straight solid season will likely mean the Sabres will attempt to get the 22-year-old signed to an entry-level contract this summer.
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William Von Barnekow – C – 161st overall
Von Barnekow is out of the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks junior system and averaged over a point per game in his draft year and the following year at the junior level. Now 22, the 6’3”, 190 lb. center is not generating any significant offense in his third SHL season (5 goals, 5 assists in 52 games) and at this point appears to be a longshot to ever come to North America.
Nikita Novikov – D – 188th overall
The 6’4”, 205 lb. blueliner came to North America after playing two years with Dynamo Moscow and settled in nicely as a regular with the Rochester Americans, with 23 points (3 goals, 20 assists) in 65 games. The 21-year-old is getting plenty of ice time with the Amerks, and after a slow start, he now has 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists) in 56 games this season. https://x.com/SabresProspects/status/1903923690338934838
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Sabres' Ryan McLeod Continuing To Be Great Addition
During this past off-season, the Buffalo Sabres acquired Ryan McLeod and prospect Tyler Tullio from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for 2022 ninth-overall pick Matthew Savoie. With Savoie being one of the Sabres' top prospects at that time, there was understandable concern following this move.
However, since his arrival to Buffalo, McLeod has been everything the Sabres had hoped for and more. Due to his strong all-around play, the Mississauga, Ontario native has blossomed into an incredibly important part of the Sabres' forward group. Right now, he is seeing time in their top six and is also used on both their power play and penalty kill.
McLeod has certainly taken advantage of his more significant role with the Sabres, too. In 66 games, he has set new career highs with 17 goals, 25 assists, and 42 points. However, what's more encouraging is that he is only getting better as this season rolls on.
McLeod is on fire right now, posting three goals and 11 points in his last nine contests. This includes scoring a goal and recording three assists in the Sabres' last matchup against the Winnipeg Jets on March 23.
Overall, McLeod has been a great addition to the Sabres, and he is only continuing to prove that the Atlantic Division club made the right call acquiring him. It will be intriguing to see how he builds on his strong play from here.
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Buffalo Sabres Call Up Forward From AHL
Earlier, the Buffalo Sabres recalled first-round pick Isak Rosen from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Now, they have made another roster move, recalling forward Josh Dunne from Rochester as well.
Dunne has played in one game for the Sabres this season, which was back on March 8 against the Florida Panthers. During it, he recorded one shot, five penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating in 7:18 of ice time.
Down in the AHL with Rochester, Dunne has scored nine goals and recorded 26 points in 58 games. This includes a goal and three points over his last five contests with the AHL squad.
In 15 career NHL games split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Sabres over three seasons, Dunne has zero points, 12 blocks, 35 hits, and a minus-9 rating.
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Short-Handed Sabres Getting Peterka Back Against Utah
The Buffalo Sabres are looking to continue their recent success in the second game of their four-game road swing against Utah Hockey Club on Thursday. The Sabres are beginning a stretch of three games in four nights against Central Division foes, two of which are battling for Western Conference wildcard spots.
The Sabres will once again be without centers Josh Norris and Jiri Kulich. Norris has missed the last two games with an unspecified mid-body injury that has been lingering since before the trade with Ottawa on March 7. Kulich is still in concussion protocol after leaving the game against Vegas after a hit from Brett Howden of the Golden Knights.
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“Norris is progressing slowly, and (Kulich) I don’t have a definitive update.” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said on Wednesday. “He’s still not ready to join us.”
The club took the morning skate at the Delta Center for the first time on Thursday, familiarizing themselves with the boards and sightlines of a new rink, after which Ruff confirmed that winger JJ Peterka’s return to the lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury.
“Offensively, we’ve been missing some of that dynamic playability, especially on entries and on the rush,” Ruff said. “We know what (JJ) can bring, and he’ll be a welcome addition.”
Youngster Zach Benson was not on the ice on Thursday and will not be in the lineup because of illness. Brett Murray will take his place in the lineup. Ruff also said that newcomer Jacob Bernard-Docker could see his first action as a Sabre this weekend when the club plays back-to-back against Minnesota on Saturday and Winnipeg on Sunday.
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Can The Sabres Build Off Win In Return Home Against The Senators?
Buffalo Sabres – Ottawa Senators
3/25/25 – 7:00pm EST at KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Record
Buffalo – 28-35-6 | 62 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division
Ottawa – 37-27-5 | 79 points – 4th place in the Atlantic Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 18.0% (26th)
Penalty Kill – 76.9% (20th)
Ottawa
Power Play – 28.3% (12th)
Penalty Kill – 77.0% (19th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 63 GP, 34 G, 26 A, 60 PTS
Rasmus Dahlin: 61 GP, 13 G, 41 A, 54 PTS
JJ Peterka: 64 GP, 22 G, 32 A, 54 PTS
Ottawa
Tim Stützle: 69 GP, 20 G, 50 A, 70 PTS
Drake Batherson: 69 GP, 20 G, 36 A, 56 PTS
Brady Tkachuk: 67 GP, 28 G, 26 A, 54 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – James Reimer (3-6-2, 2.74 GAA, .904 save %)
Ottawa – Linus Ullmark (19-13-3, 2.75 GAA, .909 save %)
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Line Combinations and Pairings
Forwards
JJ Peterka - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Zach Benson - Ryan McLeod - Jason Zucker
Jiri Kulich – Peyton Krebs - Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn - Tyson Kozak – Isak Rosen
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Connor Clifton
Bowen Byram - Jacob Bryson
Ex. Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goaltenders
James Reimer
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Injuries
Josh Norris (day-to-day – mid-body)
Sam Lafferty (day-to-day – groin)
Jordan Greenway (day-to-day – unknown)
Notes
Buffalo has won three of its last four games against Ottawa overall and it has earned a win in four of its last five home contests against the Senators. The Sabres have earned the third-most home wins against the Senators all-time (43), trailing just the Bruins (50) and the Canadiens (47) in that category. The victorious team has registered at least four goals in each of the last seven meetings between the Sabres and the Senators.
JJ Peterka has tallied 22 points (12+10) in his last 20 games and he has registered 10 points (5+5) in his last nine games. Peterka has registered 19 points (7+12) in his last 16 home games, including five points (2+3) in his last five home contests. With a goal in tonight’s game, Peterka would match the longest goal streak of his career (March 21 to 29, 2024; four games). Peterka has registered five points (4+1) in his last three home games against the Senators.
In his last nine games, Ryan McLeod has posted 11 points (3+8), including one point in back-to-back home games (1+1).
Tage Thompson has posted 35 points (18+17) in his last 34 games, including 20 points (12+8) in his last 19.
Rasmus Dahlin has registered one point in back-to-back games and a point tonight would give him his seventh point streak of three or more games this season.
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Sabres Salvage Road Trip With Win In Winnpeg
After an embarrassing loss in Salt Lake City and a listless effort against Minnesota on Saturday, the Buffalo Sabres responded with an excellent effort in a 5-3 victory over the Western Conference-leading Winnipeg Jets to split their four-game road swing. The Sabres got top performances from a pair of Manitobans, as Souris native Tyson Kozak scored his second goal of the season and Morweena’s James Reimer made 33 saves for his third win of the campaign.
“(Reimer) gave us a heck of a game.” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. “(Kozak) had a lot of people here, and he gets to play in front of a lot of family. I couldn't be happier for him. I thought he played hard, he played well. At that time, it was a big goal for us."
Buffalo got a season-best four-point outing from Ryan McLeod (1 goal, 3 assists) and goals from the usual suspects (Rasmus Dahlin, JJ Peterka, and Alex Tuch), but also got contributions from the unexpected in Jacob Bernard-Docker, who assisted on the first two Sabres goals.
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It was not all good news for Buffalo, as Jordan Greenway suffered a lower-body injury late in the first period and did not return. Ruff could not provide any update on the big winger after the game, other than to say that he would be looked at by team doctors. The Sabres did not practice on Monday after back-to-back weekend matinees, so Greenway’s status will be updated after the morning skate in preparation for the club’s first meeting with former teammate Dylan Cozens and the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
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Sabres Empty-Net Embarrassment In Salt Lake City
The Buffalo Sabres have endured a number of head-scratching incidents in their nightmarish regular season, including a goalie scoring into an empty net and a blown four-goal lead to Colorado in early December that contributed to a 13-game winless death spiral that destroyed any chance at competing for a playoff spot, so an empty-net own goal in a 5-2 loss to Utah on Thursday night at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City was just simply par for the course.
The Sabres came into the contest winners of two straight, were tied 2-2 in the third period, and got a good performance in goal from backup James Reimer, but after Dylan Guenther’s game-winner with 5:47 left in the third, things unraveled for Buffalo. Reimer was pulled for the extra attacker late in regulation and with less than two minutes left, Utah’s Kevin Stenlund was called for a high-stick on Bowen Byram. Play continued and instead of giving the puck to the opposition to get a whistle and the man advantage, Sabres center Tage Thompson sent an errant pass to the point that went off the boards, down the ice, and into the open goal.
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“The wheels just fell off,” Thompson said about the club’s third-period collapse. “I didn’t know it was a delayed penalty (on the own goal), or I would have just given it to (Utah)……I wasn't really aware that there was a delayed call. Had that been the case, I probably would have just tried to attack and shoot or make them touch it. They were kind of sitting there and I thought I had a lane to (Rasmus Dahlin) to the top and it just went through everybody. (It was a) bad play by me and even worse result.”
The Sabres allowed another empty-netter to Mikhail Sergachev, increasing their season total to a league-leading 23 this season. After the game, a flustered Lindy Ruff reflected on the goal and that his players were unaware of the delayed penalty.
“The Tampa game was the same, I don’t know if (they) realized whether they realized (Utah) was getting a penalty,” Ruff said. “Just chalk another one up.”
Buffalo remains in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 27-34-6 record and will complete their four-game road trip with a pair of weekend matinees in Minnesota and Winnipeg.
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Can The Sabres Finish Off Road Trip With A Win In Winnipeg?
Buffalo Sabres – Winnipeg Jets
3/23/25 – 3:00 pm EST at Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Record
Buffalo – 27-35-6 | 60 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division
Winnipeg – 48-18-4 | 100 points – 1st place in the Central Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 17.8% (26th)
Penalty Kill – 77.1% ()
Winnipeg
Power Play – 30.0% (1st)
Penalty Kill – 79.0% (15th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 62 GP, 34 G, 26 A, 60 PTS
Rasmus Dahlin: 60 GP, 12 G, 41 A, 53 PTS
JJ Peterka: 63 GP, 21 G, 32 A, 53 PTS
Winnipeg
Kyle Connor: 70 GP, 37 G, 49 A, 86 PTS
Mark Scheifele: 70 GP, 35 G, 41 A, 76 PTS
Gabriel Vilardi: 70 GP, 27 G, 34 A, 61 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – James Reimer (2-6-2, 2.72 GAA, .902 save %)
Winnipeg – Eric Comrie (8-8-1, 2.39 GAA, .914 save %)
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Line Combinations and Pairings
Forwards
JJ Peterka - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Jordan Greenway - Ryan McLeod - Jason Zucker
Zach Benson – Peyton Krebs - Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak -Brett Murray
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Connor Clifton
Bowen Byram - Jacob Bryson
Ex. Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goaltenders
James Reimer
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Injuries
Jiri Kulich (day-to-day – concussion protocol)
Josh Norris (day-to-day – mid-body)
Sam Lafferty (day-to-day – groin)
Notes
Tage Thompson has posted 35 points (18+17) in his last 33 games, including 20 points (12+8) in his last 18.
JJ Peterka has tallied 21 points (11+10) in his last 19 games and he has registered nine points (4+5) in his last eight games. Peterka has registered seven points (4+3) in his last six road games. A goal in today’s game would give Peterka his third goal streak of three or more games in his career.
Owen Power has collected five points (1+4) in his last five games. Josh Norris has notched one point in two consecutive games (1+1) and a goal today would give him his third three-game point streak this season.
Rasmus Dahlin has recorded six points (2+4) in his last six games against Winnipeg. In four career games against the Jets,
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has recorded a save percentage of .913 and a goals-against average of 2.73. In his last eight games against Winnipeg,
James Reimer has made 261 saves on 284 shots (.919).
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Cozens “I Wanted To Be Part Of The Solution”
The Buffalo Sabres return home after splitting a four-game road swing with a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets to take on some familiar faces, as former Sabres Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators visit Key Bank Center on Tuesday.
Even though his name was frequently mentioned in trade rumors all season, the four-player deal on deadline day that brought center Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Sabres still came as a bit of a surprise to Cozens, who was in his fifth season in Buffalo.
"My name was out there for a while, and I thought a lot of it was just kind of talk, rumors and stuff. I never really thought it would actually happen, so when I found out that it was real, it still did kind of come as a shock," Cozens said on Tuesday morning. “I wanted to be here. I committed to being here. I wanted to be part of the solution. It was sad that it didn't work out."
After a career-high 31 goals in 2023, the 24-year-old center struggled to recapture his offensive chops in Buffalo, dropping to 18 goals last season and 11 goals in 61 games this year, but thus far his scoring touch has bounced back with the Sens, with seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in eight games. Gilbert, who played 25 games for his hometown team before being dealt, has played only once since the trade and is not expected to be in the lineup for Ottawa.
Other Sabres Stories
Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday?
Sabres Ownership Ranked Worst In NHL By Survey In The Athletic
Dahlin Refutes Assertion Of Wanting Out Of Buffalo
The Sens are in a good position for making the playoffs for the first time since 2017, as they hold the first wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference with 79 points, four points up on Montreal, and five points ahead of the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. Ullmark, who was acquired in a trade from Boston last summer, has bounced back from four straight losses after returning from injury, going 8-2-1 in his last 11 starts.
Head coach Lindy Ruff provided an update on Jordan Greenway, who did not return after being injured in the first period on Sunday. Ruff said it was a day-to-day situation but that it was not as a result of a blocked shot. After a 33-shot victory over the Jets, James Reimer was in the starter’s net for the morning skate on Tuesday, but Ruff would not confirm his starting goalie.
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Can The Sabres Continue Their Positive Momentum Going Against Utah?
Buffalo Sabres – Utah Hockey Club
3/20/25 – 9:00 pm EST at Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Record
Buffalo – 27-33-6 | 60 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division
Utah – 30-27-11 | 71 points – 6th place in the Central Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 17.9% (27th)
Penalty Kill – 76.4% (23rd)
Utah
Power Play – 22.9% (13th)
Penalty Kill – 80.8% (13th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 60 GP, 34 G, 25 A, 59 PTS
Rasmus Dahlin: 58 GP, 12 G, 40 A, 52 PTS
JJ Peterka: 61 GP, 19 G, 32 A, 51 PTS
Utah
Clayton Keller: 67 GP, 24 G, 51 A, 75 PTS
Nick Schmaltz: 68 GP, 16 G, 37 A, 53 PTS
Logan Cooley: 61 GP, 18 G, 31 A, 49 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (23-21-4, 3.16 GAA, .888 save %)
Utah – Karel Vejmelka (19-18-6, 2.50 GAA, .908 save %)
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Ownership Ranked Worst In NHL By Survey In The Athletic
Rosen Sent Down Again Without Getting An Opportunity
Dahlin Refutes Assertion Of Wanting Out Of Buffalo
Line Combinations and Pairings
Forwards
JJ Peterka - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Jordan Greenway - Ryan McLeod - Jason Zucker
Zach Benson – Peyton Krebs - Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak - Sam Lafferty
Ex. Brett Murray
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Connor Clifton
Bowen Byram - Jacob Bryson
Ex. Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
James Reimer
Injuries
Jiri Kulich (day-to-day – concussion protocol)
Josh Norris (day-to-day – mid-body)
Notes
Tage Thompson has posted 34 points (18+16) in his last 31 games, including 19 points (12+7) in his last 16. Thompson ranks second in even-strength goals among all NHL skaters, trailing only Leon Draisaitl (34). Thompson is one even-strength goal away from becoming just the third Sabres skater to record 30 or more even-strength goals in a single season since 1993 (Jason Pominville, 2006-07, 30 EVG; Jeff Skinner, 2018-19, 32 EVG).
Rasmus Dahlin has registered 21 points (6+15) in his last 21 games. Dahlin is six games away from becoming the 33rd Sabres skater, and the 12th Sabres defenseman, to appear in 500 or more games with Buffalo.
JJ Peterka has tallied 19 points (9+10) in his last 17 games and he has registered seven points (2+5) in his last six games. Peterka is one goal away from reaching 20 goals for the second consecutive season and becoming the first Sabres skater to record multiple seasons of 20 or more goals at age 23 or younger since Jack Eichel (five times).
In his last six games, Ryan McLeod has recorded six points (1+5), including one point in each of his last four contests. McLeod would match the longest point streak of his career with a point tonight. McLeod’s longest point streak lasted five games and came from Oct. 12 to 22, 2024 (4+1).
Bowen Byram has registered at least one assist in three consecutive games. Byram would record the longest assist streak of his career with an assist tonight.
Owen Power has collected four points (1+3) in his last three games.
Josh Norris has notched one point in two consecutive games (1+1) and a goal tonight would give him his third three-game point streak this season.
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Can The Sabres Bounce Back From An Embarrassing Loss In Minnesota?
3/22/25 at 2 pm at Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Record
Buffalo – 27-34-6 | 60 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division
Minnesota – 31-27-11 | 73 points – 4th place in the Central Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 18.0% (26th)
Penalty Kill – 76.9% (22nd)
Minnesota
Power Play – 21.1% (20th)
Penalty Kill - 71.4% (31st)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 61 GP, 34 G, 26 A, 60 PTS
Rasmus Dahlin: 59 GP, 12 G, 40 A, 52 PTS
JJ Peterka: 62 GP, 20 G, 32 A, 52 PTS
Minnesota
Matt Boldy: 69 GP, 23 G, 35 A, 58 PTS
Marco Rossi: 69 GP, 21 G, 32 A, 53 PTS
Kirill Kaprizov: 37 GP, 23 G, 29 A, 52 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (23-21-4, 3.16 GAA, .888 save %)
Minnesota – Filip Gustavsson (27-15-4, 2.51 GAA, .917 save %)
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Ownership Ranked Worst In NHL By Survey In The Athletic
Rosen Sent Down Again Without Getting An Opportunity
Dahlin Refutes Assertion Of Wanting Out Of Buffalo
Line Combinations and Pairings
Forwards
JJ Peterka - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Jordan Greenway - Ryan McLeod - Jason Zucker
Zach Benson – Peyton Krebs - Jack Quinn
Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak - Sam Lafferty
Ex. Brett Murray
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Connor Clifton
Bowen Byram - Jacob Bryson
Ex. Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
James Reimer
Injuries
Jiri Kulich (day-to-day – concussion protocol)
Josh Norris (day-to-day – mid-body)
Notes
The Sabres have earned at least one point in six of their last seven games against the Wild (5-1-1). Buffalo has earned at least one point in four straight games against Minnesota on the road (3-0-1).
Tage Thompson has posted 35 points (18+17) in his last 32 games, including 20 points (12+8) in his last 17.
JJ Peterka has tallied 20 points (10+10) in his last 18 games and he has registered eight points (3+5) in his last seven games. Peterka has registered six points (3+3) in his last five road games.
In his last seven games, Ryan McLeod has recorded seven points (2+5), including one point in each of his last five contests. McLeod would record the longest point streak of his career with a point today.
Bowen Byram has registered four assists in his last four games and an assist in today’s game would mark the first time he has recorded five or more assists in any five-game span in his career.
Owen Power has collected four points (1+3) in his last four games.
Josh Norris has notched one point in two consecutive games (1+1) and a goal today would give him his third three-game point streak this season.
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