Here’s what you need to know on Tuesday
By Chris Ryndak / Sabres.com
The Sabres basically won the Prospects Challenge. After a 10-goal outing on Monday against Pittsburgh, they finished with four points (tied with Boston and New Jersey), but had a challenge-best 17 goals and plus-8 goal differential.
Here’s what you need to know.
About yesterday
Fans had a lot to cheer for yesterday afternoon during Buffalo’s 10-2 win over the Penguins.
If only we could all be as productive to start our weeks as the Buffalo Sabres were on Monday afternoon.
The Sabres dominated their way to a 10-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in their Prospects Challenge finale, an encouraging end to the tournament for a group of young players looking to stake their claims at NHL roster spots when training camp opens on Thursday.
“I think overall it was a great weekend,” Sabres general manage Jason Botterill said. “Just the atmosphere in the building on Friday and Saturday night certainly got our players excited, and I really liked the effort from the entire team.
“Throughout the three games I thought they battled hard, they showed some of their skill out there, they showed puck possession. I thought the tryout guys showed something out there [as well as] the guys preparing for main camp, so overall it was a very positive week.”
Defensemen Rasmus Dahlin, Brendan Guhle, and William Borgen were among the players given a day off, but a trio of forwards with NHL aspirations this season stepped up in their absence. Rasmus Asplund (1+3) and Alex Nylander (2+2) scored four points each, while Casey Mittelstadt tallied three assists.
Nicholas Welsh, one of the players on a tryout, added a pair of goals. Arvin Atwal, Cole Coskey, Kevin Hancock, Andrew Oglevie, and Myles Powell also got on the board for Buffalo.
Jonas Johansson was a perfect 17-for-17 in net for the Sabres prior to being replaced by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who faced just three shots in relief.
Training camp is inching closer
Buffalo will open its main training camp on Thursday, when veteran players are scheduled to report for testing and physicals. Beginning Friday, the team’s practice sessions at Harborcenter will be open to the public, with practices broken down into multiple sessions throughout each day.
The Sabres will then open their preseason slate of games on Monday, Sept. 17, when the team takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. in Columbus. Buffalo then returns home the following night for a 7 p.m. faceoff at KeyBank Center against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The full training camp roster and schedule will be announced at a later date. All practice times are subject to change.
Schedule for first week of camp:
Thursday, Sept. 13
-Players report for testing and physicals.
-Closed to public. Media may attend for select player availability, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the press conference room.
Friday, Sept. 14
-Session one: 9:45 – 10:20 a.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 10:25 – 11:15 a.m. (KeyBank Rink)
-Session two: 11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 12:25 – 1:15 p.m. (KeyBank Rink)
Saturday, Sept. 15
-Session one: 9:45 – 10:20 a.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 10:25 – 11:15 a.m. (KeyBank Rink)
-Session two: 11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (New Wave Energy Rink) / 12:25 – 1:15 p.m. (KeyBank Rink)
Sunday, Sept. 16
-Practice: 9:45 – 10:15 a.m. (Both rinks)
-Scrimmage: 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. (KeyBank Rink)