Rivet not sure if he'll remain captain

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Paul Hamilton


Dallas, TX (WGR 550) -- Craig Rivet will again be a healthy scratch tonight in Dallas. The captain was pulled from the line up in Atlanta because Lindy Ruff felt he wasn't playing good enough. Ruff himself had Ted Sator do the same thing to him when he played here and he resigned as captain and asked to be traded. Rivet says he'll handle this the right way, but as far as if he'll remain captain he said, "That is something I can't discuss right now, I just going to worry about what I can do right now and worry about the things that will make me better and we'll go from there." Of course it is worse for him that this happens to him and he is captain, "Yes it does make it worse, it's not easy, it's something that bears on my shoulder that's frustrating for me, but it's something I'll deal with and I'll move forward."

Rivet does not seem like he's going to pout about the situation, "You can do a lot of things about the situation that I'm in. Me personally, I'll handle it properly. I'm here to be a professional and I need to work harder to make myself better and then hopefully I can be a part that helps this team win some more hockey games."

When Rivet was told by Ruff that he'd be scratched he says it wasn't surprise he was feeling, "Maybe disappointed that he felt he had to scratch me, him feeling that my play wasn't up to par. Knowing that I can play better and it's the ultimate wake up call. It's the last straw, it's something that when you're taken out of the line up that you need to reevaluate yourself and your game."

As far as if the defenseman thought he was playing as poorly as Ruff thinks he is Rivet said, "I don't feel I was playing up to my capabilities. Do I think I was playing terrible, no. Right now is a very difficult time for this team. We're trying to grasp the style of play that we want to play which I don't think we've found yet. We want to try to build some momentum as a team and individual play comes into effect. He wasn't happy with the way I've been playing and I'm sure that he could probably look around the room and maybe point out a few guys, but me individually I think I need to be better. I need to be better for the team to have success and there's going to be a period for me where I just need to sit back and reevaluate the things I need to do to be a lot better on the ice."

Mike Weber is also not dressing with Nathan Gerbe questionable. He was hit in the neck with a shot in Atlanta. Luke Adam has been recalled from Portland.

Patrick Lalime gets his second start of the season in goal. He'll face Andrew Raycroft who's getting his first Dallas start.

Join Brian Koziol at 6:00 for the pregame when he's joined by Ruff, Rivet, Lalime and former Sabres captain Stu Barnes who now an assistant coach with the Stars.