Sabres D Rivet out at least two weeks

Dec 15, 2008 - 9:42 PM BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- Buffalo Sabres captain Craig Rivet will miss at least another two weeks with a shoulder injury, coach Lindy Ruff said Monday.

Rivet sat out Buffalo's last two games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils when pain in the shoulder flared up.

Ruff indicated that Rivet will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

"We'll see where he is after two weeks and if the doctors decide that he isn't available, then it will be another two weeks," he said. "It won't be day-to-day."

The Sabres expect that Rivet, who skated with the team Monday, will continue to practice. However, he plans to stay away from most contract and physical drills.

"It's something that I tried to play with," Rivet said. "Obviously, it was really limiting what I can do on the ice and really affecting my game.

"The pain issue, you can get through those things but when it makes things that much more difficult for you on the ice, you need to take a step back and try to rehabilitate it."

The defenseman missed five games in late October after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

"We fixed that," he said. "Now it's something else that is bothering me. Hopefully it won't take too long."

In his first full season with the Sabres, the 34-year-old Rivet has no goals and five assists in 21 games this season.