Buffalo Sabres Daily Press Clips September 22, 2017 Sabres giving Griffith opportunity to jump from minor-league star to NHLer The Buffalo News By John Vogl September 21, 2017 Few things are more deflating for bubble players than not getting a chance. Whether they make the roster or not, they want an opportunity to show what they can do. Seth Griffith has no complaints. The winger is one of just two Sabres to play in both exhibition games, joining forward Justin Bailey. It wouldn't be a surprise if Griffith is in the lineup again Friday when Buffalo visits Toronto in Ricoh Coliseum (7:30 p.m., 550 AM). "They're obviously looking at me," Griffith said Thursday. "I just want to make sure I'm bringing my game to the table every night, working hard every night, giving 100 percent and not having any regrets." So far, things have been going well. They might get even better. Griffith scored in the opening game and picked up a primary assist during the second. Those points came while playing left wing in the bottom six. He practiced as the top-line right winger Thursday, skating with center Ryan O'Reilly and left wing Benoit Pouliot. "I'm not looking too much into it, but if I get the chance to play with them it'd be great," the 24-year-old said in HarborCenter. "Hopefully, I can show them what I have." What the Sabres have at the moment is a "tweener." Griffith has been too good for the American Hockey League but unproductive in the NHL. He has 202 points in 203 AHL games, including 66 goals. In 58 NHL games, he has six goals and 16 points. Entering his fifth professional season, it's time to show he can make the leap. "It's just consistency every night, especially going from the American Hockey League to the NHL," Griffith said. "In the AHL, it seems like you can get 20 chances a night. In the NHL, you've really got to bear down when it's your chance because really good scoring opportunities only come maybe once every couple games. "I think it's really about creating those opportunities yourself, bringing pucks to the net and just going hard every night." The two plays that put Griffith on the score sheet were impressive. He finished a two-on-one with Evan Rodrigues against Carolina, getting into perfect shooting position to bury the pass. Griffith helped the Sabres tie Pittsburgh with less than three minutes left Tuesday, knocking defenseman Olli Maatta out of the way during a race for the puck and putting his pass on the tape of driving Matt Tennyson. Despite being a small forward at 5-foot-9 and 191 pounds, Griffith needs to keep making those plays to stick with Buffalo. "When the battle requires a competitive nature, he's got to get in there," coach Phil Housley said. "Everybody battles in their own way. Heavier guys can play a heavy game. Smaller guys have got to find a way to compete for loose pucks and win battles. We'll see that moving forward in the next couple games. "I just want to see his speed and tenaciousness on the puck. He made a nice play on that tying goal at Penn State. He's got good vision. He's got to use it more." While making the Sabres is Griffith's main goal – he signed a one-year deal that pays $650,000 whether he's in Buffalo or Rochester – the secondary objective is finding a home. He had way too many last year. He started his fourth season in the Bruins' organization, but Boston waived him after four games. Toronto claimed him, then waived him a month later. Florida picked him up. He skated in 21 games with the Panthers, including time on a line with Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov, but he got waived again after no goals and five assists. The Maple Leafs reclaimed him and sent him to the minor-league Marlies, where he finished the season with 10 goals and 44 points in 38 games. Griffith had another two goals and nine points in 11 playoff appearances. "It wears on you," Griffith said of the moves. "You want to feel comfortable. I was in the hotel the whole year. Even a hotel, it's not really your own space, right? You've got maids coming in and out, and you're seeing new people every day. "It's a tough situation, but I think I've grown as a player and a person from it. … Hopefully, I can get my own place this year." Sabres Notebook: Wilcox’s fight does No. 32 proud; Scandella sits again; Pu in The Buffalo News By John Vogl September 21, 2017 Since 1989, the No. 32 has symbolized fighting prowess in Buffalo. Rob Ray wore it for 14 years. John Scott intimidated people for two seasons. The number is being worn during training camp by goaltender Adam Wilcox. Believe it or not, he's dropped the glove (and blocker) before. The fight would have done his No. 32 predecessors proud. While playing for Green Bay of the United States Hockey League in February 2011, Wilcox joined a full line brawl during a game against Omaha. He skated the length of the ice to fight Lancers goalie Todd Mathews. Wilcox earned a unanimous decision, throwing seven rights and two lefts while tossing Mathews to the ice. "I think I got a four-game suspension for it because it was under five minutes and I crossed the red line," Wilcox said Thursday. "It was definitely worth it. It was fun. A good memory." The Sabres, of course, didn't sign Wilcox to a one-year deal to fight. He'll split the crease with Linus Ullmark in Rochester. Those are the two goalies expected to be in Buffalo's lineup Friday night in Toronto. Wilcox, who was a fan of the Sabres' Dominik Hasek, joined Buffalo after spending time with the minor league teams for Tampa Bay and Florida last year. The 24-year-old went 25-13-2 overall, and he had a .932 save percentage in 13 appearances with Florida's affiliate. He saw an opening in Buffalo's organization. "I thought it was a good fit for me," the 24-year-old said. "It was kind of one of those spots that I always wanted to go growing up for some reason. I think a lot of it was because of Hasek, but it was just one of my favorite teams, so it was pretty cool signing with a team that I always wanted to play for." Wilcox played the third period and overtime of Buffalo's 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The University of Minnesota product made 10 saves on 12 shots as the Penguins scored two power play goals. "It was really fun," Wilcox said in HarborCenter. "I was going back to the old stomping grounds of the Big Ten. I used to play there with the Gophs, so it was pretty cool to go back to that rink. "I was fortunate to get a period. It was fun. I went in there on the penalty kill, and I didn't mind it because it gets you in the game right away. They kind of bailed me out toward the end there." Buffalo won on Jack Eichel's overtime goal. Wilcox earned kudos from coach Phil Housley because the goalie came in cold as Pittsburgh came in hot. The Pens took 10 of the opening 12 shots during the third period. "To come in in the third period and face the rubber he did, he did a terrific job," Housley said. * * * After giving Marco Scandella a day off to rest his surgically repaired hip, Housley expected the defenseman to practice Thursday. Once again, Scandella stayed off the ice. Still, Housley isn't worried about the health of the key offseason acquisition. "No, I'm not concerned at all," Housley said. "This is all precautionary. "He's in a great place right now. I thought he was going to be out today, but he wasn't. He'll probably be out tomorrow, but it's just a day-to-day maintenance thing for him. We want him to feel comfortable when we start getting up for the regular season." Scandella had arthroscopic surgery in May after Minnesota was eliminated from the playoffs. He's sat out three of the Sabres' seven training camp sessions. "He'll get his practices in," Housley said. "I'm not worried at all." * * * Cliff Pu, the lone junior player left in camp, is going to get another game. Housley didn't say whether it would be Friday in Toronto or Saturday when the Maple Leafs visit Buffalo. "We like his grit," Housley said. "We want to see him in another game. It's intriguing trying to see where he can fit in. I think he's had an excellent camp up to this point, and he's getting rewarded for it. "He's really working hard. He can see the pace of the game when he's out there. A lot of the guys, the veterans, have long batteries, and you can tell. That's something he's got to work on, his endurance, but I think he's fit right in." Sabres’ Pu is making the most of his opportunity WGR 550 By Paul Hamilton September 21, 2017 Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) - Cliff Pu survived the first cuts back to junior hockey.