The champagne will have to stay corked for at least one more night. Heading into Canadian Tire Centre with a prime opportunity to officially end their 14-year playoff drought, the Buffalo Sabres couldn’t quite seal the deal, dropping a gritty 4-1 battle to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday evening. Despite breaking open a scoreless gridlock in the second period and getting another massive performance from goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a fateful third-period deflection and two late empty-net daggers ultimately unraveled Buffalo’s clinching scenario. The Sabres’ historic march to the postseason hit a temporary speed bump against a motivated division rival, forcing the 100-point squad to pack up, regroup, and look ahead to their next chance to officially punch their ticket to the dance. Sabres and Senators Scoreless After Physical Opening Frame The opening twenty minutes of tonight’s matchup ended in a scoreless deadlock, but it was far from a quiet period at Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa tested Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen early with...Read More

OTTAWA – For the Buffalo Sabres, the long-awaited light at the end of the tunnel has finally become a spotlight. After years of watching the postseason from the sidelines, the equation has been stripped of all complexity: win tonight, and the drought is over. When the Sabres take the ice against the Ottawa Senators at 7:00 p.m., they won’t just be playing for two points; they’ll be playing for a definitive end to a rebuilding era that began back in 2011. While various out-of-town scoreboard scenarios involving Detroit and Columbus could still punch their ticket, Buffalo’s locker room is focused on the front door. From the Basement to 100 Points The turnaround in Western New York has been nothing short of historic. On December 9, this group sat at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference. Since then, they have been the most dominant force in hockey, coasting to a 35-7-4 record. That torrid pace allowed Buffalo to hit the...Read More

The Rochester Americans showed plenty of fight on Wednesday night, but playing from behind ultimately caught up to them. Despite closing the gap to a single goal on two separate occasions, the Amerks suffered a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Charlotte Checkers. With the loss, Rochester closes out the four-game regular-season series against Charlotte with a 1-1-1-1 record. The Checkers, meanwhile, became just the fifth team in the AHL to cross the 40-win threshold this year. Here is how the action unfolded at Blue Cross Arena. An Early Uphill Battle Charlotte wasted absolutely no time setting the tempo. On the very first shift of the game, Sandis Vilmanis set up Jack Studnicka to beat Devon Levi just 28 seconds after the opening puck drop. The Checkers kept the pressure on and capitalized on their first man-advantage of the evening midway through the opening frame. A point shot from Ludvig Jansson navigated through traffic and past a screened Levi,...Read More

The Buffalo Sabres are actively bolstering the Amerks’ defensive depth, officially signing prospect Maxim Strbak to a three-year, entry-level contract. While his new NHL deal isn’t set to officially kick in until the 2026-27 season, the 20-year-old defenseman is joining the Rochester Americans on an Amateur Tryout (ATO) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. This gives fans an early look at the physical blueliner right now, even as the exact financial terms of his future Sabres contract remain undisclosed. Selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft after an impressive stint with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, Strbak has spent the last three seasons developing his game at the collegiate level. Now, he is ready to take the next step in his professional hockey journey. A Proven Winner at Michigan State During his time at Michigan State, Strbak established himself as a highly reliable force on the back end. Across 102 career games for the...Read More

The Rochester Americans, currently holding a 28-25-5-4 record, are set to continue their current four-game homestand. They will be facing a massive test this Wednesday night at The Blue Cross Arena against the defending Eastern Conference champion Charlotte Checkers, who come into town sporting a formidable 39-21-5-0 record. If you are gearing up for the matchup, here is your essential pregame breakdown. Riding High on Home Ice Rochester enters this contest with plenty of momentum after a thrilling 3-2 shootout victory over the Syracuse Crunch this past Sunday. The Amerks kept pace with their regional rivals in regulation thanks to tallies from Matteo Costantini and Trevor Kuntar. In the shootout, Konsta Helenius and Olivier Nadeau found the back of the net, while Devon Levi shut the door to secure his 20th victory of the campaign. That triumph gave the boys in red, white, and blue a three-game winning streak in their own building and three victories in their last four...Read More

The Buffalo Sabres etched their names into the history books on Tuesday night, battling through a physical, high-stakes affair to claim the 2,000th franchise win in a 4-3 thriller against the New York Islanders. In a game that had everything from a crucial Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen penalty shot save to a heated center-ice scrap, the Sabres showed the kind of resilience that has defined their season. Not only did the victory mark a massive organizational milestone, but it also officially pushed Buffalo to the 100-point mark, solidifying their status as a force to be reckoned with as the postseason approaches. From the opening puck drop, the energy at KeyBank Center was electric, setting the stage for a night where grit and skill combined to deliver a legendary result for the Blue and Gold. 1st Period: Sabres Capitalize on Power Play for Early Lead The Buffalo Sabres came out of the gate with plenty of energy in the opening frame, quickly finding...Read More

The Buffalo Sabres wrap up March on Tuesday night with a prime-time home date against the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., and the stakes could not be higher as Buffalo continues its late-season surge. With 98 points and a 45-21-8 record, the Sabres sit second in the Atlantic Division and are chasing their first 100-point campaign since 2009-10. A victory would also deliver the franchise’s 2,000th all-time win. The Islanders enter with an 89-point mark (42-28-5) and currently hold third place in the Metropolitan Division, but Buffalo has taken both meetings so far this season. Sabres March Dominance and Tight Eastern Conference Race Buffalo has gone 10-2-2 this month against mostly playoff-caliber opponents. The team snapped a brief three-game skid with a come-from-behind shootout win over Seattle on Saturday and has dropped just four games total since the Olympic break. The Atlantic remains a logjam. Montreal and Tampa Bay face each other...Read More

As the Buffalo Sabres gear up for the final stretch of the 2025-26 season, one element remains entirely predictable: the relentless motor of Peyton Krebs. Whether the team is protecting a lead or fighting from behind, the 25-year-old forward has become the spark plug that ignites the roster at KeyBank Center. Krebs explained following Monday’s practice that he views his physical style as a tool to wake up the bench. By finishing a heavy check or making a high-effort play, he aims to create a ripple effect that encourages his teammates to elevated their own intensity. A Career Year Built on Speed The numbers back up the eye test. Krebs has already set personal bests with 10 goals and 35 points this season. Perhaps more impressively, he sits second on the team with 173 hits, proving that his game is as gritty as it is skilled. League data places his skating speed in the top 10 percent of all NHL...Read More

The Rochester Americans (28-25-5-4) closed out the month of March on a high note Sunday afternoon, defeating the Syracuse Crunch 3-2 in a dramatic shootout at The Blue Cross Arena. The victory marks the first time during the 2025-26 campaign that Rochester has strung together three consecutive wins on home ice. Rookies and Vets Step Up in Regulation The Amerks’ penalty kill was tested early, successfully fending off three Syracuse power plays before finding the back of the net themselves. Shortly after the third kill, Matteo Costantini opened the scoring with a backhand shot, marking his second goal of the weekend and fourth of the season. After Syracuse leveled the game in the second period, Trevor Kuntar restored the Rochester lead just 43 seconds into the final frame. Kuntar redirected a shot from the point for his 17th goal of the year, reaching the 30-point plateau for the first time in his professional career. Helenius and Jones Fuel the Offense...Read More

Following a tough 5-3 loss in Syracuse, the Rochester Americans (27-25-5-4) return home this afternoon to conclude a high-stakes home-and-home series. The Syracuse Crunch (39-20-3-2) recently clinched their playoff berth with a win over Rochester, but the Amerks have a chance to settle the score at The Blue Cross Arena. Here are five things to know for today’s 3:05 PM puck drop. 1. Rebounding from a Late-Game Slip Rochester held the lead late into last night’s contest before Syracuse surged with three goals in the third period. Despite the loss, Riley Fiddler-Schultz remained a bright spot, netting his team-leading 21st goal of the season. Historically, the Amerks are much more dangerous when their offense is clicking; they hold an impressive 46-13-5-1 record against the Crunch when scoring three or more goals dating back to 2016-17. 2. Devon Levi Returns to the Crease Goaltender Devon Levi is expected to start today as he pursues his 20th win of the campaign. Levi...Read More