Coming off a extremely profitable West Coast highway journey, the Buffalo Sabres return to house ice on Wednesday to face the Minnesota Wild, once they seemingly will welcome again their main goal-scorer.
Tage Thompson instructed reporters after apply Tuesday that he can be “able to go” in opposition to the second-place crew within the Central Division. The 27-year-old middle, who scored 47 objectives and 94 factors two seasons in the past, has not performed since Nov. 11 resulting from a lower-body damage. Regardless of lacking 5 video games, his 11 objectives nonetheless lead the crew, and he ranks third in factors with 18.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff confirmed Thompson’s return to the lineup on Wednesday morning.
Buffalo swept its California highway journey, beating Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose in 4 days. The Sabres had been off Sunday and Monday earlier than returning to the ice Tuesday morning.
The profitable streak has Ruff’s crew tied for eighth place within the Jap Convention. Nonetheless, with three-quarters of the season remaining, Ruff — who was in his first stint because the Sabres’ coach when the crew final made the playoffs in 2011 — is aware of his crew nonetheless must do extra in opposition to powerful competitors.
It didn’t assist issues that Tuesday’s apply might have began higher, Ruff mentioned.
“You are available off a highway journey, and also you’re hoping that the crew may be able to exceed the depth that we had been in a position to carry on the journey,” Ruff mentioned. “It is the one solution to get higher.”
One space through which Ruff, whom the Sabres rehired in April, needs to see enchancment is staying out of the penalty field. Out west, Buffalo gave opponents 12 power-play alternatives whereas solely getting seven.
Minnesota involves Buffalo after falling at house 4-1 in opposition to Central Division leaders Winnipeg on Monday. It was the crew’s second straight defeat following a shootout loss to Calgary on Saturday.
Monday’s loss was not for an absence of effort. The Wild generated a season-high 44 pictures on purpose, with half of these coming within the first interval. The 22 pictures had been the second-most of any crew in a single interval this season and had been essentially the most in a interval for the Wild in almost seven years.
Wild coach John Hynes felt his crew performed nicely however simply couldn’t get a lot previous Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner.
“There’s some issues that we will develop from the sport, however we acquired a whole lot of hockey this week too,” Hynes instructed reporters after Monday’s loss. “So, we acquired to place this one behind us, seize what we will take out of it, after which we acquired to make it possible for we’re refreshed once more (Tuesday) and we’re able to go in opposition to Buffalo.”
Regardless of the mini dropping streak, Minnesota’s 30 factors in 21 video games is tied with the 2013-14 squad for one of the best begin in franchise historical past.
Left winger Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild in each objectives (13) and assists (21). His 34 whole factors coming into Tuesday are tied for third within the NHL with Vegas’ Jack Eichel and some extent again from co-leaders Martin Necas of Carolina and Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado.
Minnesota might be with out defensive middle Jakub Lauko, who left Monday’s sport early with a lower-body damage. Hynes didn’t have an replace on his standing after the Jets sport.
–Area Stage Media