Buffalo Sabres fans have been waiting for Zach Kassian to bring his particular brand of whimsy to the NHL, especially after that exercise in pacifism against the Boston Bruins after Lucic/Miller.
On Tuesday night, the Sabres played the New York Islanders; in his third NHL game, Kassian had his first NHL fight against Matt Martin. What it lacked in accuracy it made up for in enthusiasm. Please don't adjust your setting — the first few moments of this fight just seem like they're at twice the speed.
For a fight in which roughly 80 percent of the punches missed, still impressive to see Martin with the "no mas" as Kassian shed the sweater.
Kassian has two points in this first two games for the Sabres. In speaking with the Buffalo News, he let it be known he wanted to be tough but not a liability:
"I've been put into a lot of situations offensively that I've succeeded pretty well with," the right winger said. "When you're put in those situations, you don't want to waste time in the penalty box. You want to improve as a player. The toughness in my game will always be there. It's about developing other skills."
Kassian had to sheepishly laugh when he began to describe the players he tries to emulate.
"Buffalo fans probably don't want to hear it, but Milan Lucic," Kassian said of the Boston forward who is a Buffalo villain after concussing Miller this month. "He's a good player. Todd Bertuzzi, [Jarome] Iginla, those power forward guys that are tough but also have an offensive upside."
Did Kassian nearly put Milan Lucic and Jarome Iginla in the same sentence? Like we said: Enthusiasm over accuracy …