The Buffalo Sabres continue to find new meanings for the term “rock bottom,” hitting the latest low point on Sunday night in Washington. The Sabres lost 5-3 to the Capitals, and they have just 24 points this season, which is the second-worst total in the entire league.
Things are starting to get a little tense in the Buffalo dressing room as well apparently. The frustration is clearly starting to mount, particularly for goaltender Ryan Miller. He hasn’t been afraid to speak his mind in the past, and that continued Sunday night following yet another loss to the Capitals.
Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta was eligible to return to the lineup Sunday night after serving a five-game suspension for a reckless hit on New York Rangers forward Brad Richards. However, Sabres coach Ron Rolston opted to make Kaleta a healthy scratch.
“He understands what just happened and the way he’s got to play,” Rolston said, according to The Buffalo News. “But again, we want to balance the way he plays and not take that away from him either because that’s what makes him a valuable hockey player in the league.
“On the other hand, it’s a situation where he understands that sitting out five games for him wasn’t a good thing and it wasn’t a good thing for our team. We have to make adjustments and he has to make adjustments going forward.”
Kaleta went on to say that he was “pissed off” about the decision as well. Miller was asked about all of it after Sunday’s game, and the All-Star goalie pulled no punches.
“He’s being dramatic,” Miller said of the agitating forward, according to The Buffalo News’ Sabres Edge blog. “We’re not even discussing what Patty says, you guys. That’s just drama and he needs to just grow up if he’s gonna say that to you guys. You know what? He had a stupid play in a game. He sat, he was punished. He has to get over it and move on.
“We handled it. He doesn’t have to go to you guys and say that stuff. There: I’m addressing it now and I’ll go and talk to him about it. There’s no reason to say that.”
