Sabres notes: Tage Thompson ready to return to lineup against Wild
Tage Thompson, the Sabres’ No. 1 center with a team-leading 11 goals, told reporters following practice Tuesday in KeyBank Center that he’s ready to return to the lineup to face the Wild at home Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes won’t have the luxury of facing the Buffalo Sabres when they’re without their leading goal-scorer.
Tage Thompson, the Sabres’ No. 1 center with a team-leading 11 goals, told reporters following practice Tuesday in KeyBank Center that he’s ready to return to the lineup to face the Wild at home Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Tage Thompson has 11 goals and 18 points in 16 games for the Sabres this season. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Thompson missed the past five games with a lower-body injury that occurred during the second period of a 7-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 11. The Sabres (11-9-1) went 4-1 without Thompson, capped by a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks in California last week.
It became clear during the Sabres’ practice on No. 19 in El Segundo, Calif., that Thompson wasn’t going to return against the Kings, and coach Lindy Ruff wasn’t going to push the 27-year-old center to play in first game of the weekend back-to-back situation. Thompson told reporters that he informed the team that he was ready to play Saturday in San Jose, but they held him out as a precaution.
“Honestly, I think the decision (to miss the San Jose game) – I told them I was ready if they needed me,” Thompson explained. “That’s the decision they made. I would have liked to play, but I think it was smart, for sure, to take an extra few days, especially where our team was at. ... It was more about making sure I was ready to go and not returning too soon.”
The Sabres’ other centers produced while Thompson was out. Ryan McLeod scored in consecutive games against St. Louis and Philadelphia, then Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs and Jiri Kulich had a goal apiece in California. Kulich, a 2022 first-round draft pick, showed enough in his first opportunity playing center in the NHL that he remained at the position during practice Wednesday.
Kulich, 20, scored the game-winning goal against Anaheim in overtime and won 24 of 35 faceoffs (68.6%) during the road trip. He practiced Tuesday on a line with McLeod and Jason Zucker, while Cozens centered Krebs.
Wild watch
The Wild (13-4-4) will have their leading scorer, Kirill Kaprizov, in the lineup Wednesday after the winger returned Monday from an upper-body.Kaprizov leads the Wild in goals (13), assists (21) and points (34), while his 22:16 average time on ice is second on the team behind defenseman Brock Faber. Minnesota is second in the Central Division, six points behind the Jets. The Wild are tied for second in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.48), and it has a plus-22 goal differential through 21 games.
Lineup notes
Jack Quinn may be a healthy scratch against the Wild.The winger was an extra during line rushes at practice and Kulich was in his spot on the second power-play unit. Quinn had one of his best games of the season Friday in Anaheim, then he had one shot on goal in 16:10 of ice time against San Jose.
“It is about making that next play or taking advantage of that play that’s happened on the ice,” Ruff said of Quinn. “I think he’s been a little bit snake bit. You always look at the battles inside of the game. Can they be better? Just take advantage of your opportunities, and, I think in his category, where he lies in our team, it’s just production. You’ve got to produce.”
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was in the starter’s net at practice and slated to be in goal against Minnesota. Luukkonen has stopped 131 of 137 shots, a .956 save percentage, in the last five games that he’s finished.
The Sabres also loaned winger Isak Rosen to Rochester following practice.
Injury update
Sabres winger Jordan Greenway had a non-surgical “procedure,” according to Ruff, that should help alleviate the discomfort that he’s experienced from the middle-body injury that’s kept him out of the lineup the past four games.“He had some type of procedure, not an operation, that could possibly help him,” said Ruff. “We’ll know within the next couple days, and then see where he’s at.”
Greenway, a pending unrestricted free agent, has three goals and six points through 16 games. He’s averaging 16:17 of ice time and ranks third among Sabres forwards in shorthanded ice time. Beck Malenstyn and Zach Benson are among the forwards who have played more on the penalty kill with Greenway out.
Helping hand
Alex Tuch’s AT9 Foundation announced Tuesday the return of its toy drive to support families with children attending The Summit Center.Fans are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys at various drop-off locations, including Delta Sonic and Dave and Adam’s Card World, from Nov. 26 through Dec. 16.
Participating Delta Sonic locations include 1355 Niagara Falls Boulevard, Amherst; 4973 Transit Road, Williamsville; 2285 Walden Avenue, Cheektowaga; 2590 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo; 1264 Main Street, Buffalo; 2205 Orchard Park Road, Orchard Park; 350 Langner Road, West Seneca; 4817 Transit Road, Depew; 1006 McKinley Parkway, Buffalo; 3100 Niagara Falls Boulevard, Amherst.