The Buffalo Sabres were on a high after their impressive three-game sweep of Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Jose during their West Coast road trip. Now back at home, the team shifts its focus to a tough challenge ahead: a matchup with the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.
Head coach Lindy Ruff knows the coming weeks won’t be easy, as the schedule intensifies. “We have a very difficult stretch ahead, and the teams we’ll face starting tomorrow are all tough opponents to generate scoring chances against,” Ruff said. “Minnesota is having a solid season and they’re not giving up much. We’ll need to match the intensity we brought on the road trip.”
The Sabres do have some positive news, as forward Tage Thompson is expected to return to the lineup for Wednesday’s game. Thompson, who has been sidelined with a lower-body injury since November 11, reported that he feels ready to go. He had hoped to return over the weekend, but the team chose to give him more time to ensure he was fully recovered. Reflecting on the decision, Thompson stated, “Taking that extra week to make sure I was 100% was the right choice for the long-term health of the season. I feel great now and had a good practice today, so I’m ready to play tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, forward Jordan Greenway was seen at practice wearing street clothes. Ruff shared that Greenway had undergone a non-surgical procedure to aid in his recovery from a mid-body injury, and they expect to know more about his condition in the coming days.
The game between Buffalo and Minnesota at the KeyBank Center is set to begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
