Sean McMorrow stood at the blue line after practice Friday, listening to welcoming words of wisdom from Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. When Ruff was finished delivering his chat, he and McMorrow gave each other a little fist tap.
It's not the first time McMorrow used his fist. It won't be the last.
McMorrow is the newest Sabre, and the 21-year-old is young but not naive. He knows teams don't call up guys with only 10 shots in 59 games in an effort to put fear into opposing goaltenders. With 291 penalty minutes in Rochester and an American Hockey League-high 39 major penalties, McMorrow is with the big club to protect his teammates.
Usually that means fisticuffs.
"Obviously I'm going to have to play tough," McMorrow said in the Amherst Pepsi Center. "I know my role, and I've just got to go out and do it."
There's no better time than 7 tonight, when the Sabres face the Toronto Maple Leafs in Air Canada Centre (Empire, Ch. 5, Radio 107.7 FM).
The teams brawled four times during the first period of their last meeting two weeks ago. The Leafs, who drew 13 penalties (including two fighting majors) during their 4-3 loss to Columbus on Thursday, are still an ornery bunch.
That's where McMorrow comes in. With enforcer Rob Ray traded to Ottawa, the Sabres need someone to help Eric Boulton in case things get out of hand. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound McMorrow was the obvious choice.
"There's always a possibility that anything can happen," he said. "I've prepared myself. I wouldn't come into a situation if I wasn't ready for it. I'm ready for any situation that may occur, and I'm looking for a good game."
Ruff told McMorrow not to let his emotions skyrocket, thereby drawing foolish penalties. He wants to see the forward skate, not just sit in the penalty box.
"We want to see him play," Ruff said. "There's going to be a lot of excitement in him, getting to play his first game.
"I just told him, "I can't see you play if you're sitting on the other side of the rink (in the box). I want to see you play.' We'll see how it goes."
McMorrow worked hard to improve his skating this season. The first-year pro is confident he can keep up in an NHL game.
"It's coming along pretty well," he said. "I think I skate pretty good for a big guy."
McMorrow knew there was a chance he could be called up once Ray went to Ottawa. But the native of Scarborough, Ont. - just east of Toronto - never expected to make his debut against the Leafs in a game that'll be broadcast across Canada.
"I watched Toronto every Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada, just like it's going to be on Saturday," McMorrow said. "It's a little nerve-racking, but I'm up for the challenge.
"I'm excited and nervous. It's always been my dream since a kid, and it's finally coming true here. I'm really pumped up."
McMorrow was the last player off the ice Friday, inhaling every ounce of NHL air he could get.
"It's a good opportunity for him to come out and play hockey," Boulton said. "If something arises, he knows what he's here for."
Sabres center Adam Mair might miss tonight's contest. He bruised his foot Wednesday during the game against the New York Rangers.
"We've sent him for X-rays a couple times now," Ruff said. "It looks like there's some type of infection in there, where the foot is swollen up. He's on antibiotics now. We're hoping that within a 24- to 48-hour span the swelling goes down, and he's able to play."
Left wing Taylor Pyatt has been ruled out of tonight's game and Monday's home date with the Colorado Avalanche. The Sabres haven't said Pyatt's head injury is a concussion, but he still is feeling the effects of a hit delivered by Philadelphia's Chris Therien on Tuesday. Pyatt was sandwiched, and Therien's shoulder connected with the bottom of Pyatt's chin.
"It's the first time he's been hit like that," Ruff said. "We're not in that seven-day window (where Pyatt has to stop exercising because of a concussion). It isn't that serious, but he still feels symptoms from the hit."
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It's not the first time McMorrow used his fist. It won't be the last.
McMorrow is the newest Sabre, and the 21-year-old is young but not naive. He knows teams don't call up guys with only 10 shots in 59 games in an effort to put fear into opposing goaltenders. With 291 penalty minutes in Rochester and an American Hockey League-high 39 major penalties, McMorrow is with the big club to protect his teammates.
Usually that means fisticuffs.
"Obviously I'm going to have to play tough," McMorrow said in the Amherst Pepsi Center. "I know my role, and I've just got to go out and do it."
There's no better time than 7 tonight, when the Sabres face the Toronto Maple Leafs in Air Canada Centre (Empire, Ch. 5, Radio 107.7 FM).
The teams brawled four times during the first period of their last meeting two weeks ago. The Leafs, who drew 13 penalties (including two fighting majors) during their 4-3 loss to Columbus on Thursday, are still an ornery bunch.
That's where McMorrow comes in. With enforcer Rob Ray traded to Ottawa, the Sabres need someone to help Eric Boulton in case things get out of hand. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound McMorrow was the obvious choice.
"There's always a possibility that anything can happen," he said. "I've prepared myself. I wouldn't come into a situation if I wasn't ready for it. I'm ready for any situation that may occur, and I'm looking for a good game."
Ruff told McMorrow not to let his emotions skyrocket, thereby drawing foolish penalties. He wants to see the forward skate, not just sit in the penalty box.
"We want to see him play," Ruff said. "There's going to be a lot of excitement in him, getting to play his first game.
"I just told him, "I can't see you play if you're sitting on the other side of the rink (in the box). I want to see you play.' We'll see how it goes."
McMorrow worked hard to improve his skating this season. The first-year pro is confident he can keep up in an NHL game.
"It's coming along pretty well," he said. "I think I skate pretty good for a big guy."
McMorrow knew there was a chance he could be called up once Ray went to Ottawa. But the native of Scarborough, Ont. - just east of Toronto - never expected to make his debut against the Leafs in a game that'll be broadcast across Canada.
"I watched Toronto every Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada, just like it's going to be on Saturday," McMorrow said. "It's a little nerve-racking, but I'm up for the challenge.
"I'm excited and nervous. It's always been my dream since a kid, and it's finally coming true here. I'm really pumped up."
McMorrow was the last player off the ice Friday, inhaling every ounce of NHL air he could get.
"It's a good opportunity for him to come out and play hockey," Boulton said. "If something arises, he knows what he's here for."
Sabres center Adam Mair might miss tonight's contest. He bruised his foot Wednesday during the game against the New York Rangers.
"We've sent him for X-rays a couple times now," Ruff said. "It looks like there's some type of infection in there, where the foot is swollen up. He's on antibiotics now. We're hoping that within a 24- to 48-hour span the swelling goes down, and he's able to play."
Left wing Taylor Pyatt has been ruled out of tonight's game and Monday's home date with the Colorado Avalanche. The Sabres haven't said Pyatt's head injury is a concussion, but he still is feeling the effects of a hit delivered by Philadelphia's Chris Therien on Tuesday. Pyatt was sandwiched, and Therien's shoulder connected with the bottom of Pyatt's chin.
"It's the first time he's been hit like that," Ruff said. "We're not in that seven-day window (where Pyatt has to stop exercising because of a concussion). It isn't that serious, but he still feels symptoms from the hit."
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