Sabres’ Rivet On Benching: Message Received
Posted by TheHockeyGuy on February 12th, 2010
Being an NHL captain includes perks and privileges. Unwarranted ice time is not among them.
That was part of the message the captain of the Buffalo Sabres delivered Wednesday.
Craig Rivet was obviously still stunned and stinging from being benched for most of Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to Boston. He nonetheless accepted his punishment. The captain said he hasn’t been good enough, which is why he skated just 8:58 of the 65-minute shootout setback.
“You need to earn your ice,” Rivet said. “Right now I don’t think I’m playing up to my capabilities. I need to be better. I need to be better to help this team. It was an eye-opener [Tuesday] night. I pretty much got sat for most of the game. If I have the opportunity, I’m going to be better next game.”
Rivet will get his opportunity Thursday night when the Sabres visit the Carolina Hurricanes. Coach Lindy Ruff adamantly said his captain will skate when the team tries to end a five-game winless skid.
“He’s not coming out of the lineup,” Ruff said after practice in HSBC Arena.
The situation could be construed as a tricky one for the coach. He relinquished his Sabres captaincy and subsequently was traded to the New York Rangers after being scratched for a game during the 1988-89 season. Though he now admits the seat was justified, it was unforgivable at the time.
Rivet’s benching, therefore, was an in-game option rather than a multigame proposition.
Click here to read the full article – By Buffalo News
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