BUFFALO – The kids were all right. The rest of the Maple Leafs on the ice at the First Niagara Center on Monday night? Not so much.
Coach Mike Babcock iced his most veteran lineup thus far in the NHL pre-season, only to end up with the worst defeat thus far, a 4-0 blanking at the hands of an energetic young Sabres team that seems vastly improved under coach Dan Bylsma.
And Babcock pulled no punches afterwards, calling out his underachieving veterans.
“I thought our kids were good,” Babcock said. “I don't think we got anything out of our top two lines.