The Sabres have again split their roster into three teams for training camp, with daily scrimmages for two squads and a practice for the other. Team Seymour, named for co-founder Seymour H. Knox III, swept the opening game and shootout against Team Norty, named for Seymour’s brother and the other co-founder, Northrup Knox. (Team Punch, which practiced, is named for inaugural coach and general manager Punch Imlach.)
Cody McCormick scored twice, including a late-game tiebreaker, to give Team Seymour a 3-2 victory in the scrimmage. Drew Stafford also scored, while the Norty squad got goals from Drew Schiestel and Matt Ellis.
Team Norty was poised to get retribution in the shootout, which featured five shooters per team. Jason Pominville and Tyler Ennis scored on the opening breakaways to give Norty a 2-0 lead. Colin Stuart and Zack Kassian answered for Team Seymour to tie the event, and Mark Mancari beat Patrick Lalime to complete the 3-2 comeback.
The scrimmage featured two big hits. Patrick Kaleta crushed rookie defenseman Alex Biega along the boards, while Drew Stafford dropped Tyler Ennis, the 5-foot-9, 157-pound forward who was lambasted by Mike Weber during rookie camp.
"If you’re going to handle the puck and handle it in tight areas, you’re going to get hit hard sometimes," coach Lindy Ruff said. "He’s tried to squeeze a few things in, and he’s trying to make plays. If you’re hanging onto the puck and the defender reads it right you can get hit pretty hard."
---John Vogl
