Ron Rolston can’t wait for players to get moving. Marcus Foligno learned that Friday.
Rolston sat the Sabres' winger for most of the third period against Ottawa. During practice today, the coach took Foligno off the second power-play unit and replaced him with Brian Flynn.
“He just wasn’t moving his feet as much as he should be,” Rolston said. “Right now we have 12 forwards and six defensemen that are healthy, so we can’t afford guys that aren’t playing the way we have to play.
“He’ll bounce back and he’ll have a good game tomorrow, but everyone has to be playing their best hockey right now.”
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Marcus Foligno, one of the many Sabres forwards who are struggling to find the net, won't get a chance tonight. The left winger will be scratched against the Florida Panthers, his first benching of the year.
Foligno has no goals in the last 15 games and only one in Buffalo's 20 outings.
"I’ve got to know that I have a long career ahead
of me and just keep working and learn from this," Foligno said.
With legendary tough guy George Parros playing for Florida, John Scott will take Foligno's spot in the lineup. T.J. Brennan will be the defensive scratch. Jordan Leopold will sit with an injury, though he did skate today.
Ryan Miller will start in goal. Read his thoughts on the tumultuous season by clicking here.
Ryan Miller and Mike Weber combine to thwart Chris Neil. (Getty Images)
By Mike Harrington
OTTAWA -- When you're judging quality of defeat, you know it's a bad season. That was the situation the Sabres were in after Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place.
There was plenty of merit to the thought because it was a big improvement over the previous three games. The offense generated chances (but didn't get nearly enough traffic in front of Craig Anderson) and for a good 35 minutes, the defense wasn't running around in its own end and smartly moved the puck around. No issues with Ryan Miller either.
Lindy Ruff said it was the first play he thought of. Marcus Foligno said the memory quickly came back to him as well.
The Sabres tied Thursday night's game against Montreal with 1.9 seconds left as Thomas Vanek jabbed home a puck after a bullrush in the offensive zone by Marcus Foligno. It was eerily similar to Jordan Leopold's tying goal last April against Toronto that led to an an overtime victory.
That goal, however, Foligno never saw. After beating Toronto defenseman Mike Komisarek to the spot, Foligno was pinned to the ice with Komisarek's knee on his head. But he had the last word, finally getting up to howl at the Leafs veteran.
OTTAWA – The Sabres’ hottest line from the end of last season is back together – for now.
Tyler Ennis will center left wing Marcus Foligno and right wing Drew Stafford when the Sabres visit Ottawa tonight. It’s up to them how long they’ll be together.
John Vogl has been covering the Sabres since 2002-03, an era that has included playoff runs, last-place finishes and three ownership changes. The award-winning writer is the Buffalo chapter chairman for the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
Mike Harrington, a Canisius College graduate who began his career as a News reporter in 1987, is in his sixth season covering the Buffalo Sabres. He is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and can vouch that exposed flesh freezes instantly when walking in downtown Winnipeg in January.
