A Fight Breaks Out at Sabres Practice

The Buffalo Sabres practiced on Monday after a day off, but the intensity from Saturday night’s win over the Florida Panthers did not wear off. The Sabres held an uptempo, quick puck-moving practice that resulted in tempers flaring and a fight involving the team’s captain.

In a rush drill, Rasmus Dahlin stepped up and laid an open-ice hip check on Peyton Krebs. Krebs was up-ended, flipping over Dahlin. Krebs immediately got up and went back at Dahlin, and the shoving quickly turned into gloves dropped and punches thrown. The fight was broken up by the entire Sabres team, who rushed over to ensure it didn’t escalate even further.

The hit resembles the tone Buffalo’s captain is trying to set for the team. Krebs’ reaction is the latest example of the scrappy attitude he has carried throughout training camp and into the start of the season.

The forward lost his starting job by default thanks to some of the moves made this offseason. However, due to injuries, he quickly got into the lineup and is taking advantage of his opportunity. The incident in practice continues his drive to earn a full-time role.

“We like to practice hard,” Krebs said. “I think that’s been the motto this year and that’s what we’re doing. And [on] off days, we’re buddies.”

Dahlin’s tone after practice was less “that’s how it is” and more apologetic. “I regret it now,” Dahlin said. “I apologized to him. That was really bad by me – I shouldn’t have done that.”

The hip check was dangerous, but the physicality in practice is becoming a reoccurring thing.

“It’s competitive out there,” Dahlin continued. “We want to get better. We want to push each other.”