Casey Nelson wishes things went differently Saturday afternoon in Denver. Most of all, he wishes he had a better view of Nikita Zadorov's high hit on Jack Eichel because he says that would have prompted a different reaction from him.

Nelson has endured a boatload of criticism for his lack of reaction to the play, where he simply skated over and stood next to Zadorov while Eichel was on the ice. Moments later, Marco Scandella and Sam Reinhart jumped the Colorado defenseman and Jeff Skinner tried to get in the fray as well before he was cut off by Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen.

"I feel totally different after I saw the hit because I didn't know he got hit in the head," Nelson said after the Sabres' optional morning skate today. "I don't have the seven camera angles. I was the only one directly behind him so I didn't actually see that he got hit in the head. That's all I'm going to say there. I didn't sleep that night after I saw the video."

Nelson was a healthy scratch Tuesday against Dallas, with coach Phil Housley saying the lack of reaction on the play was discussed with him.

"That's pretty much all I've thought about the past number of days," Nelson said. "There's not a lot I can do about it other than I can tell you that my response wouldn't have been the same if I knew he got hit in the head."