
'It's all basketball': LaMelo says no rift with Bam
LaMelo Ball relieved Bam Adebayo's injury isn't serious after tripping him in game.
Casey Mittelstadt of the Boston Bruins is eager to embrace the 'villain role' in the upcoming playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, who are returning to the postseason after a 14-year drought.
Boston Bruins forward Casey Mittelstadt
Casey Mittelstadt Eager To Play 'Villain Role' For Bruins Against Sabres originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Bruins are ready to be the villains against the Buffalo Sabres.
Buffalo snapped its 14-year playoff drought by winning the Atlantic Division and will host the Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sabres have been dying for playoff hockey for years, and Mittelstadt, who played parts of seven seasons in Buffalo, said he’s excited to be the villain and end their dreams early.
“I know what the atmosphere is going to be like, and it’s going to be nuts,” Mittelstadt said after practice on Thursday. “I think that is going to be really fun for us. Especially to go on the road to start and play the villain role early. I think our teams are built maybe a little bit differently, in terms of they’re a little smaller and faster, and we’re probably bigger and heavier.
“I think it will be a good contrast of that. I think it’s a good matchup for us. Obviously, going to have to come in and manage the puck and defend hard. But I think if we can do that, we will have a good chance. It is going to be a battle either way.”
Buffalo selected Mittelstadt eighth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, and he was expected to be a key part of the Sabres’ core. Yet, it didn’t work out, and after a year with the , he was traded to Boston and has made an impact.
Casey Mittelstadt is excited to play against the Sabres because he wants to embrace the 'villain role' and potentially end their playoff dreams.
The Buffalo Sabres snapped a 14-year playoff drought by winning the Atlantic Division.
The matchup is significant as it marks the Sabres' return to the playoffs after many years, and the Bruins aim to disrupt their momentum.

LaMelo Ball relieved Bam Adebayo's injury isn't serious after tripping him in game.

Get ready for $150 train fares from NYC to MetLife Stadium for World Cup matches!

Texans and Will Anderson Jr. agree to historic $150M extension!

Avalanche lead Stanley Cup odds, but Sabres intrigue bettors
Will Anderson's new contract with the Texans sets an NFL record!
Donnie Freeman's transfer decision favors Kentucky while UConn faces setbacks and Alabama's future remains unclear.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
With the Bruins this season, Mittelstadt recorded 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in 71 games.
Game 1 of the Bruins vs. Sabres playoff series is set for Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET.