The 15-year wait is finally over. The Buffalo Sabres have officially reintroduced themselves to playoff hockey. After a thrilling Game 1 victory, the Sabres are back on the ice at KeyBank Center tonight. They are looking to push the Boston Bruins to the brink with a 2-0 series lead. With the morning skate wrapped up and the energy building in the 716, here is everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s 7:30 p.m. puck drop. The Mentality: Expecting a Desperate Boston Squad Game 1 was a tale of two games. First, Buffalo found themselves in a 2-0 hole early. However, they completely flipped the script with a massive four-goal surge in the final eight minutes. According to the Sabres’ communications department, that outburst occurred in just 6:46. As a result, it ranks as the third-fastest four-goal stretch in franchise playoff history. In fact, it was the fastest since 1998 against Philadelphia. Despite the comeback, the locker room understands they...Read More

The playoff beard is officially back in the Flower City. It came down to the wire, but the Rochester Americans have officially punched their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. After a hard-fought 5-4 overtime battle against the Hershey Bears in the season finale, the Amerks locked up the fifth and final seed in the North Division. Now, the real season begins. Rochester is set to face a familiar foe in the Toronto Marlies for a high-stakes, best-of-three play-in series. Under second-year head coach Michael Leone, this squad is looking to make some noise and prove that their regular-season resilience translates to postseason success. Round 1: The Schedule Because Toronto finished as the fourth seed, they hold home-ice advantage for this short series. The Amerks will need to steal one on the road or defend the 585 with everything they’ve got to advance. GameDateLocationTimeGame 1Wednesday, April 22Coca-Cola Coliseum (Toronto)7:00 PMGame 2Friday, April 24Blue Cross Arena...Read More

The Buffalo Sabres proved on Sunday night that it isn’t how you start, but how you finish. Despite dominating the shot clock and the physical play for forty minutes, the Sabres found themselves staring down a two-goal hole early in the third period. However, a massive surge led by Tage Thompson turned a potential frustrating loss into a 4-3 series-opening statement win over the Boston Bruins. Dominance Without Reward From the opening draw, the Sabres looked like the faster team. The energy at KeyBank Center was electric, especially after Mattias Samuelsson and Alex Tuch set the tone with heavy hits early in the first. Tuch’s open-ice collision with Viktor Arvidsson signaled that Buffalo was ready for the playoff grind. Despite outshooting Boston 14-9 in the first period, the Sabres headed to the room down by one. A tough block in the defensive zone took an unlucky bounce right to Morgan Geekie, who beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to give the Bruins the...Read More

HERSHEY, Pa. — It was a finish fitting for the 70th season of Rochester Americans hockey. With their entire season on the line and no margin for error, the Amerks battled through a rollercoaster finale at the Giant Center to secure the single standings point they needed. Despite a 5-4 overtime loss to the Hershey Bears, the result was a victory in the big picture. By forcing the game beyond regulation, Rochester successfully leapfrogged the Utica Comets to claim the final playoff spot in the North Division. From a record-setting shot barrage in the first period to a clutch power-play equalizer in the third, the Amerks proved they weren’t ready for their summer to start just yet. Dominant Opening Frame: Amerks Outshoot Bears in Scoreless First The Rochester Americans knew they needed a fast start in their do-or-die finale. They delivered a performance for the record books on Sunday afternoon at the Giant Center. Despite an initial scare where the...Read More

The countdown has officially hit zero. For the first time since late April of 2011, playoff hockey is back in Western New York. Tonight, the Buffalo Sabres will hit the ice at KeyBank Center to open their first-round series against the Boston Bruins, looking to set the tone in what promises to be a grueling matchup. Securing the Atlantic Division crown was no small feat for this group. Buffalo achieved a massive 109-point regular season, becoming just the fifth franchise in league history to capture a division title after trailing by eight or more points in the standings. Now, the real test begins against a Boston squad that finished just nine points behind them in fourth place. Here is everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s 7:30 p.m. puck drop. Broadcast Information Whether you are heading downtown or watching from home, there are plenty of ways to catch the action. Television (Local): MSG Television (National): ESPN Streaming (Local): Gotham...Read More

The script for the 70th season in Rochester Americans history has come down to the final page. After months of grinding through the AHL schedule, the Amerks enter game 72 on Sunday afternoon with their entire postseason fate hanging in the balance. The mission is simple but daunting: earn at least one point against the Hershey Bears, or the summer starts tomorrow. The Playoff Picture The pressure intensified Saturday night following a difficult road trip to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Despite keeping pace in shots early on, the Amerks suffered a stinging 8-0 loss to the Penguins. The shutout was Rochester’s fourth of the year—all of which have occurred away from home—and saw both Scott Ratzlaff and Topias Leinonen struggle in the crease. While Rochester stumbled, the Utica Comets surged, sweeping the Providence Bruins to pull even in the standings. Because Utica holds the tiebreaker, the Amerks find themselves on the outside looking in as they wake up Sunday morning. To reclaim their...Read More

Welcome back to SabresHub.com. The Rochester Americans traveled to Pennsylvania on Saturday night needing just one single point to officially lock up their spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Instead, they ran into an absolute buzzsaw. In what was arguably their most frustrating performance of the entire season, the Amerks were completely dismantled by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a brutal 8-0 shutout. From giving up early goals to engaging in massive brawls and dealing with constant penalty trouble, absolutely nothing went right for Rochester. The team will now have to quickly forget this disaster and try again to punch their postseason ticket on Sunday. Let us break down exactly what went wrong in this nightmare on the road. Penguins Jump to Early 2-0 Lead Over Amerks in Wild First Period The puck dropped tonight with Scott Ratzlaff in goal for Rochester and Sergei Murashov starting for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Unfortunately, the Penguins struck fast. Just over a minute into the game, Rutger...Read More

Welcome back to SabresHub.com, your go-to spot for all things hockey in our system! Tonight is a massive night for our Rochester Americans. Last night was a tough pill to swallow for the hometown fans. The Amerks were incredibly close to celebrating a playoff clinch on their home ice, fighting back to tie the game in the third period thanks to a power-play goal from Olivier Nadeau. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Monsters managed to sneak a game-winning shot through the goalie’s glove with just five minutes left, stunning a sold-out crowd at Blue Cross Arena. Now, the team has to shake off that heartbreak and hit the road for Pennsylvania to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. Let us break down everything you need to know before the puck drops tonight at 6:05 PM. The Magic Number is Still One The math is super simple for Rochester tonight. They need just a single point in the...Read More

The Rochester Americans needed just one point to secure a playoff berth. However, the hockey gods had different plans on Friday night. Instead of a celebration, the Amerks suffered a devastating 2-1 defeat against the Cleveland Monsters. For most of the night, goaltender Devon Levi played brilliantly to keep the game incredibly close. Additionally, the offense pushed relentlessly and consistently outshot their opponent. Unfortunately, a late third-period strike by Cleveland suddenly silenced the roaring crowd at Blue Cross Arena. Consequently, Rochester must pack their bags and try to officially punch their ticket on the road tomorrow. First Period: Levi Shines Early in Scoreless Start The opening frame at Blue Cross Arena set the tone for a tight, playoff-style battle. Both Cleveland’s Zach Sawchenko and Rochester’s Devon Levi traded early stops. First, the Amerks lost the opening faceoff. Then, they found themselves on their heels early. Referees sent Jagger Joshua to the box for hooking just 3:01 into the contest. However,...Read More

The Rochester Americans enter Friday night with a singular, clear objective: secure a single point in the standings. As the Amerks wrap up the home portion of their historic seventieth anniversary schedule, the Blue Cross Arena will serve as the battleground for a crucial North Division clash against the Cleveland Monsters. For readers following along here at SabresHub.com, the playoff math has never been simpler. Head coach Mike Leone and his squad currently hold a 31-29-5-4 record and are hoping the third time is the charm to lock up the final available postseason spot on home ice. The pathway to their fifth consecutive playoff appearance is straightforward. Rochester controls its own destiny and merely needs to push Friday’s game past regulation to punch their ticket. Alternatively, they can rely on out-of-town help; a Utica Comets loss of any kind against the league-leading Providence Bruins would also secure Rochester’s position and eliminate the New Jersey affiliate from catching them in the...Read More