Buffalo News hockey writers Rachel Lenzi and Mike Harrington hop the boards for another Ice Time episode to discuss the Buffalo Sabres' blazing-hot run and their first 57 games heading into the Olympic break — and, more importantly, the 25-game sprint to the end of the regular season.

What must the Sabres do over the final sprint? They won't have to play .850 hockey, Mike says, as they did for much of the past three months. But with 70 points in 57 games, they can reasonably contend for second place in the Atlantic Division. They should expect the playoffs, not just aim for them.

In the meantime, what do the Sabres do at the trade deadline? (Jarmo Kekalainen might look to beef up the bottom pair, perhaps search for more consistency on special teams.) Can the Sabres count on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to return, and when? And how about Mattias Samuelsson, who has earned the right to be included in some Norris Trophy discussion (along with Rasmus Dahlin).

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Beat writer Rachel Lenzi and columnist Mike Harrington hop the boards for their latest shift on Ice Time to discuss the blazing-hot Buffalo Sabres, who aren't just chasing a postseason berth, but perhaps an Atlantic Division title.

Rachel and Mike talk Alex Lyon, who has blossomed from late signee into the hottest goalie in the NHL – and how the Sabres' three-goalie problem has turned into a three-goalie solution. They also revisit Rasmus Dahlin's five-point night in Toronto, which came as he and his fiancee continue to openly discuss the major obstacles in their personal lives over the past year.

Plus, the Sabres' seven-year commitment to Josh Doan with a $6.95 million AAV; what it means (or doesn't mean) for discussions with Alex Tuch; the Sabres' final stretch before the Olympic break; and a look ahead to the final three months of the regular season.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Mike Harrington and Rachel Lenzi hop the boards for a heat check with the streaking Buffalo Sabres, who take their winning streak to Dallas.

Our writers talk about how the Sabres went from last in the Eastern Conference to within a hair of a playoff spot. They also discuss why this winning streak has represented a big victory for Lindy Ruff, whom the players clearly did not tune out in the midst of the Sabres' front office upheaval.

Rachel gives an update on the status of goaltender Alex Lyon, who turned up with a lower-body injury after their win in St. Louis. Plus, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch's chances to play in the Olympics; the Sabres' long-term prospects and a sneak peek at their January schedule.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Mike and Rachel hop the boards to discuss a busy road trip ahead for the Sabres. WIth 6 games on the road, can they rectify their cold streak?

Plus, the Sabres need to pick two goalies and Mike gives Rachel the inside scoop on the “Calgary Catwalk” as she prepares for her first trip to the Saddledome.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Buffalo News writers Rachel Lenzi and Mike Harrington hop the boards for another Ice Time to discuss the Sabres' strange and disappointing week. After a dynamite night and a 5-1 win against Edmonton on Monday, the Sabres suffered a humiliating 6-2 defeat to Calgary, the worst team in the NHL. 

Mike and Rachel first discuss the Sabres' level of effort in that loss, in which the Flames erupted for four third-period goals. They also discuss Lindy Ruff's postgame comments, which included a reference to some (unnamed) players as bystanders.

Plus, the Sabres' three-goalie problem, their injured players (including Jason Zucker, whose fiery nature might've helped in that third period) and the rest of their four-game homestand, which includes the Blackhawks on Friday and the Hurricanes in a Sunday matinee.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Buffalo News writers Rachel Lenzi and Mike Harrington hop the boards for another Ice Time to discuss the Sabres' difficult schedule ahead, their difficult luck with injuries and the all-too-difficult Eastern Conference.

Mike and Rachel first take a look at the Sabres' road trip, which began Wednesday in Utah and hardly gets easier from there. They pay a visit to Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche, then head to Detroit before a four-game homestand.

From there, it's the all-too-frequent topic of injuries. Mike and Rachel discuss Jiri Kulich's unfortunate-but-scary blood-clot issue and how it affects the Sabres' center situation. What does Lindy Ruff want from his centers? What about Buffalo's face-off percentage ... which, in case you hadn't seen, ranks 32nd in the NHL. There's also the matter of Jason Zucker's potential timeline to return.

Finally, Mike and Rachel also discuss their most surprising teams in the all-too-tough Eastern Conference, as well as the tall tasks the Sabres face when they do come — Edmonton, Calgary, Chicago and Carolina.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows

Join our Buffalo News writers, Rachel Lenzi and Mike Harrington, for another shift on Ice Time as they go through the latest with the Buffalo Sabres at the start of November. Mike and Rachel give their takeaways from the Sabres' fifth straight overtime game, their first such streak in three years. But, they haven't created enough 3-on-3 scoring chances, and they appeared a little flat-footed late in Monday's overtime loss to Utah. 

However, the Sabres have been strong on special teams - their PK unit is the best in the NHL so far. The bad news? Injuries, injuries, injuries as the Sabres prepare for the Blues and a four-game road trip.

Plus, the wild, wild Eastern Conference, where every team is seemingly racking up points and the timeline for a Stadium Series game to return to Buffalo, perhaps in 2028.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Rachel Lenzi and Mike Harrington hop the boards for the latest episode of Ice Time as the Buffalo Sabres get set to take on the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals in their next two games. 

So, with 10 points after 10 games, why was Lindy Ruff in a fairly good mood? Our writers think Lindy has several reasons. This Sabres team looks closer to being a complete team than the one that took the ice last season. He had to like the competitiveness shown in their latest overtime loss, as well as the self-awareness about sluggish starts and presence in front of the net.

Plus, why the Sabres continue to carry three goaltenders, Wednesday's game at Boston and potential NHL history at KeyBank Center on Saturday, when Alex Ovechkin could go for his 900th career goal.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

They vowed to get off to a better start. Then they scored two goals in 180 minutes; their coach lamented their lack of "compete" in Game 3 of 82; they're off to an 0-3-0 start; and already, the Buffalo Sabres feel like they're against a wall.

Other than that, things are going great. Mike Harrington and Rachel Lenzi hop the boards to discuss all that and much more in the latest edition of Ice Time. 

Mike and Rachel kick around the Sabres' latest game, a 3-1 defeat in a Monday matinee against Colorado, and look ahead to their next three games against Ottawa, Florida and Montreal. They also discuss Zach Benson's (potential) return to the line up, three injured Sabres returning to practice ahead of Wednesday's game against Ottawa and the most pleasant development of the young season to date — surprise! — goaltender Alex Lyon.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Mike Harrington and Rachel Lenzi hop the boards for the latest edition of Ice Time, now that the NHL draft, the big wave of free agency has passed and Sabres development camp is over.

Mike and Rachel take a moment to discuss the news of the Sabres going into salary arbitration with Bowen Byram, which first broke Sunday night. They discuss what it means and what comes next.

Then it's on to the NHL draft and the flurry of NHL offseason moves — in particular, the two biggest headliners: the Mitch Marner trade to Vegas and Nikolaj Ehlers' move to Carolina, among others (what is Boston doing?).

Finally, they give their takeaways on players who made impressions during the Sabres' development camp, which wrapped up last week, as well as a final prediction on what happens with Byram.

The Buffalo News Ice Time Podcast is sponsored by Express Windows.

Full Ice Time episodes are now available to subscribers at buffalonews.com