Last night after the game I got the chance to talk a bit with Mike Weber, the Sabres’ newest defenseman who got called from Rochester after the dual injuries to Jaroslav Spacek and Dmitri Kalinin.

As it turns out, Spacek was unable to go last night and that meant that Weber got pressed into service, and played in his first NHL game against the Florida Panthers. “I didn’t know until warmups that I’d be skating. I was so excited” said Weber.

Weber is just 19 years old, and until recently was playing junior hockey in Windsor in the OHL. So what is it like getting the first taste of NHL action? “It is absolutely indescribable, the bigger arena, all the people. I thought I’d be nervous but actually I felt like I have been here forever.” Weber is a Pittsburgh native and admitted that his friends and family back home were already on alert, just in case he would be playing. “I didn’t have time to make calls but they are all watching.”

Coach Lindy Ruff gave praise to Weber in his postgame remarks. “He played well. We need some of his size and toughness in the lineup. We’ll see where it goes” said Ruff. Weber logged over ten minutes of ice time last night.

Should Spacek not be ready tonight, Weber will be in the lineup again tonight against Tampa Bay.

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