Blue vs. Gold: The Battle For Color Supremacy
The Sabres face off against some other Sabres today at the First Niagara Center to determine once and for all which color reigns supreme. Also, which team of Buffalo prospects will have bragging rights for the summer.
The Buffalo Sabres will be wrapping up their prospect development camp today at the First Niagara Center with the Blue & Gold Scrimmage, a prospect-on-prospect mild contact game featuring the Sabres of tomorrow.
Team Blue is stacked on the blueline, featuring most of the promising defenseman the Sabres have drafted over the past four seasons, including Mark Pysyk, Nikita Zadorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Jake McCabe. They'll rely on a strong back end and the uber-leadership of Zemgus Girgensons to catapult themselves to the victory they so desperately desire.
Team Gold, on the other hand, is loaded up front, putting the playmaking ability of Mikhail Grigorenko alongside the speed of Dan Catenacci and the averageness of Colin Jacobs. Compher and Bailey will provide the grit and muscle on the second line, and may or may not be joined by Gustav Possler, who did not participate yesterday. Regardless of who plays alongside who, the Gold squad will be looking to open the game up and use their forward depth to emerge victorious and win the championship belt.
Tensions were (maybe) high in the locker room after practice, as a confident Mikhail Grigorenko (did not) guarantee victory for Team Gold a la Mark Messier in 1994. This did not sit well with Zemgus Girgensons (because it didn't happen) who was (not) seen lifting rocks and climbing snowy mountains after practice, screaming "GRIGORENKOOOOOOO!!!!" while an 80's training montage played in the background. Only time will tell if his all-natural woodland training regimen will beat Grigorenko's technology-infused Russian super-workouts this Christmas. (Wait, when did this turn in to Rocky IV?)
Game #00
Team Blue (0-0-0) vs. Team Gold (0-0-0)
Puck Drop - 4:00pm - First Niagara Center - Buffalo, NY
TV - Nope | Radio - Nuh-uh
SBNation Team Blue Blog - Die By The Blade (Please play nice if you're going to visit.)
SBNation Team Gold Blog - Die By The Blade (Please play nice if you're going to visit.)
Team Blue Roster
Eric Locke – Zemgus Girgensons – Jonathan Parker
Kevin Sundher – Phil Varone – Logan Nelson
Connor Hurley – Justin Kea – Nick Baptiste
Alex Iafallo – Andrew Black
Nikita Zadorov – Mark Pysyk
Jake McCabe – Rasmus Ristolainen
Brady Austin – Matt MacKenzie
Connor Knapp
Cal Petersen
Team Gold Roster
Daniel Catenacci – Mikhail Grigorenko – Colin Jacobs
J.T. Compher - Justin Bailey - Gustav Possler
Brad Navin – Sean Malone – Christian Isackson
Tyler Gjurich – Judd Peterson
Brayden McNabb – Chad Ruhwedel
Alex Lepkowski – Jerome Gauther-Leduc
Kevin Czuczman – Anthony Florentino