LOS ANGELES — Tim Kennedy, as anyone familiar with the South Buffalonian's tale knows,

spent his childhood dreaming of playing for the Sabres. He's been having a grand old time

living the dream &8212; until this week. That's when the dream was taken away.

Kennedy was scratched for games in Phoenix and Anaheim, the first time the rookie was

forced to watch his teammates from the press box. He returned to the lineup Thursday against

the Los Angles Kings with an enhanced perspective.

"When you get something taken away from you that you want so bad it kind of raises the

price again on it," he said.

Kennedy entered the game against the Kings with just one goal and five assists in his previous 15

games. He took three shots and was an even player in 11:04 of ice time in the shootout loss to the Kings. He was minus-1 in 9:32 against the New York Islanders on Saturday, a performance

neither Kennedy nor coach Lindy Ruff liked.

"Sitting out the last couple of games was not where I wanted to be, but my play hasn't been

up to the standards that I want and the coaching staff wants," Kennedy said in Staples Center.

"It was good for me to sit out for two games and just watch the game, see what's going on,

take a step back, and hopefully I'll go in and I'll go back to where my game's supposed to

be."

The center had been a solid two-way player for most of his opening 46 games. A return to

that form is all Ruff needs.

"His game has kind of flat-lined," Ruff said. "Young players go through that. I'm not

looking for anything big. I'm just looking for something consistent.

"It's in his hands again to bring something to the game that's going to allow him to stay

in."

The first experience with a benching is always tough on players. Kennedy sought the counsel

of one of the team's most respected veterans on how to deal with it.

"I was just talking to Michael Grier about it," Kennedy said. "He was telling me about his

first year, and about the same time in his first year he sat out in Phoenix and it was good

for him to just get away from the game and see it for a little bit, kind of refreshing his

mind and his body.

"There's guys that have sat out before, so I'm not too down about [it]. I just can't wait

to get out there and work."

It also helped that Ruff, rather than just sit the 23-year-old, sat down with Kennedy on

Monday prior to the Phoenix game and explained his reasoning.

"I don't want him wondering why he's out," Ruff said. "Talk about the reasons that you're

out, talk about the opportunity when you get back in, what's expected of him. I don't want him

to guess. He realized it. He didn't think his game was very good."

Especially for someone who wants to continue living the dream.

"I just have to work harder than I have been," Kennedy said. "Hard work usually brings some

people success, and hopefully that's what happens."

* * *

Zack Kassian, the Sabres' first-round pick in last year's draft, has been suspended for 20

games by the Ontario Hockey League.

The 19-year-old member of the Windsor Spitfires, selected primarily because of his

reputation as a rugged and hard-hitting forward, hit Barrie's Matt Kennedy in the head with a

concussion-causing wipeout near center ice Jan. 14. Kennedy needed three stitches for his face

and three staples in the back of his head, which slammed against the ice.

OHL Commissioner David Branch agreed with Windsor's assertion that Kassian did not leave his

feet to hit Kennedy, but Branch determined Kennedy was in a vulnerable position without the

puck.

"We're not dealing with someone who has character flaws," Sabres General Manager Darcy

Regier said of the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder. "He's a good-character kid. But he is a man in that

league. [Strength and conditioning coach] Doug McKenney said to me at training camp, "Body-

wise, he's NHL ready.' He's a tough kid, too, and he's aggressive. He's going to have to learn

to stay within certain parameters."

"Players must understand that they shall be held accountable for their actions," Branch

said in a statement, "and we must continue to work to improve the level of respect players

have towards opposing players."

* * *

Jochen Hecht, left off Germany's initial Olympic roster, was officially named to the Games

squad Thursday. It's the third Olympic selection for the Buffalo left winger.

"It's a really big tournament, and I think everyone who is part of it is proud to be

playing for their home country," Hecht said.

"It's a great honor to be playing against the best players in the world in this tournament."

Hecht was confused and miffed about originally being omitted from coach Uwe Krupp's roster.

Hecht, who entered the game against the Kings with two goals and two assists in the previous

two outings, said he never heard from Krupp as to why.

"He didn't say anything, so I don't know what he was thinking," said Hecht, who wasn't

nervous about possibly missing Vancouver. "I was just trying to do my job here and play well

for the team here. That's the most important thing right now. When the Olympics start I can

worry about that."