Despite being available for the first time since his 5-game suspension, Patrick Kaleta was a healthy scratch in the Buffalo Sabres’ 5-3 loss at the Washington Capitals on Sunday night.

He wasn’t happy about it, telling the media he was “pissed off” about the decision, and that “no matter if you're a fan, a player, you guys know what's going on. You should be pissed off" about the direction of the team.

Sabres goalie Ryan Miller didn’t appreciate Kaleta’s candor, speaking to reporters after the game (via WGR):

“We’re not even discussing what Patty says, you guys. That’s just drama and he needs to just grow up if he’s gonna say that to you guys. You know what? He had a stupid play in a game. He sat, he was punished. He has to get over it and move on. “We handled it. He doesn’t have to go to you guys and say that stuff. There: I’m addressing it now and I’ll go and talk to him about it. There’s no reason to say that.”

His coach, Ron Rolston, hinted that the scratch was a quasi-extension of Kaleta’s suspension for hitting Brad Richards of the New York Rangers from behind. Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News suggested that the Sabres players were pushing for that additional punishment along with their coach.

Said Miller on that theory:

“We don’t make lineup decisions. We’re plugged in. You guys think we have way more power than we do.” “He doesn’t need to handle it like that. And we’ll handle it internally.”

So things are going pretty well in Buffalo these days, huh?