Sabres enter NHL All-Star break by demoting 3 to minors

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Sabres have assigned three forwards to the minors as the team enters its weeklong NHL All-Star break.

Cal O'Reilly, Tim Schaller and Philip Varone were demoted to AHL Rochester on Wednesday, a day after Buffalo's 3-2 win at Ottawa. All three had been called up to fill spots on the Sabres' injury-depleted roster.

Buffalo is playing minus Tyler Ennis, Nicolas Deslauriers and Sam Reinhart. All three are listed as week to week, though Deslauriers began skating this past week for the first time since sustaining an upper body injury on Jan. 2.

The Sabres are off until next week, when they play at Montreal on Feb. 3, and then return home to play Boston the following night.