Rivet: 'I need to be better'

Craig Rivet says you have to earn your ice time. Being the captain doesn't give you extra minutes. So, in essence, the Sabres defenseman agrees with coach Lindy Ruff's decision to use him for just 8:58 in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Boston.

"You need to earn your ice," Rivet said today after practice. "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 last 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 the opportunity. Coach Lindy Ruff adamantly stated that his captain will play Thursday when the Sabres visit Carolina.

"He’s not coming out of the lineup," Ruff said. "The ice time part is, I’ll say it again, we’re desperate to win. You have to play the guys that are going the best. He was having a tough night."

The Sabres head to meet the Hurricanes winless in five straight (0-4-1).

"We’re battling through a tough time right now, and it takes everybody right now to win hockey games," Rivet said. "We need to have guys play up to their standards, and there’s some guys that aren’t. There’s some guys that are, and there’s some guys that aren’t. We’re going go work through this, and we’re going to be a better team for it.

"I’m in the group that needs to be better. I’m going through a tough time right now, but I know the only way to get out of things is to work your way through. That’s what I’m going to do."

There's a time for 'fucking fail'.

I don't think this was one of them.

I agree... he's been brilliant for the most part.