Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta was “pissed off” about being a healthy scratch Sunday night.
Ryan Miller had a message for his teammate: “Grow up.”
Fresh off serving a five-game suspension for his hit on New York Rangers forward Brad Richards, an eager Kaleta was unhappy to learn he’d have to wait at least one more game before returning to action.
“I’m pissed off. I want to play,” Kaleta told reporters prior to Sunday’s game against the Washington Capitals. “And especially after watching some things, sitting there watching the game, I want to play ... They don’t need me right now, I guess. I’ve been pissed off watching for the past couple weeks. No matter if you’re a fan, a player, you guys know what’s going on. You should be pissed off. You should play with a little piss and vinegar. You shouldn’t be happy. We’re not in position we want to be in. We have to work harder, come in and do something about it.”
That didn’t sit well with goaltender Ryan Miller, who called out Kaleta after Buffalo’s 5-3 loss.
“That’s just drama and he needs to just grow up if he’s gonna say that to you guys,” Miller told reporters. “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.”
It’s been trying times in Buffalo this season. The Sabres are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 10-15-4 record and are seven points out of a playoff spot.
