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Sabres coach benches Matt Moulson, top line in disastrous loss to Ducks

The Buffalo Sabres continue to find new and depressing lows this season. Their latest trick turned out to be Ryan Getzlaf’s, as the Anaheim Ducks center scored three goals in the first period to lead his team is a 6-2 trouncing of Buffalo.

As goalie Ryan Miller, who was pulled for the third period, said: “That was a disaster to be a part of.”

So disastrous, in fact, that Sabres coach Ron Rolston decided to prematurely end the evening for some of this players.

Like, for example, his entire top line.

The last time Cody Hodgson, Matt Moulson and Tyler Ennis took a shift against the Ducks was with 6:11 remaining in the second period, after a brief 40-second shift. The Sabres played the rest of the game with their top line riding the pine.

“We’ve got to work, and we didn’t feel the work was there,” coach Ron Rolston said, via the Buffalo News.

This benching is significant for several reasons, none the least that it involved Moulson, whom the Sabres acquired for star winger Thomas Vanek in late October. He didn’t register a shot on goal in 10:50 of ice time against Anaheim.

Where’s his head these days? As Moulson told Mayor’s Manor recently:

“When I come to the rink, I don’t think I really differ my game too much. Whatever happens, happens,” said Moulson.

“If I’m here for a little bit, here for a long time, I’m going to enjoy it. The organization’s treated myself and my family extremely well. It’s a business, obviously, so whatever they’ve got to do… I really enjoy playing with the guys on this team. It’s a great bunch of guys. Like I said, I’m going to go out there and play my game. I don’t think I let too many things distract me. Off the ice I have enough things to deal with. When you have a family, it’s probably a little thing on your mind, wondering whether you’re going to get traded or not.”

At this point, it might be less a trade than an act of mercy by Buffalo.