Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - I should be writing about how the Buffalo Sabres got out to a 3-0 lead on the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, and then led 4-1, almost blew their lead, but did a great job of killing off two penalties and figured out how to come away with a 4-3 win.
I should be talking about their three-game winning streak with wins over the Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators and Devils on their current four-game homestand.
I should be talking about how since their matchup with the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 21, which covers six games, they’ve played well in most of those contests, earning four wins.
However, the only thing fans are talking about with this game is Buffalo’s best forward, Tage Thompson, getting targeted by Stefan Noesen.
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In the third period, with Buffalo leading 4-2, Noesen hit Thompson square in the head with a dirty hit, knocking him out of the game. There was no response from the four other players on the ice. Zero!
Noesen isn’t Rob Ray or built like Matt Rempe. He’s 6-foot-1 and hardly 200 pounds, but still nothing super imposing.
Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is one of the captains on this team, and was among those on the ice when the hit on Thompson took place. At least he regretted that he didn’t respond.
"That’s definitely on us. I was on the ice, I take some responsibility, but I really didn’t know what happened or who did it," said Samuelsson after the win. "It’s bull**** when the guy gets kicked out so you can’t respond afterwards, so I do think, myself included, we need to definitely do something about it.
"I don’t think every time there’s a big hit there should be a fight in the NHL, but I do think ‘Tommer’s’ was dirty, and there should’ve been an answer."
Rasmus Dahlin also gave his reaction to the hit on Thompson.
"Not nice. Hits his head, and you’ve got to have respect for players. I don’t think that’s part of hockey, but there are emotions and stuff happens out there and they want to build momentum. So that’s part of it," said Dahlin after the win.
I told Dahlin that I was asking him as captain, how can there be no response to that when your best player gets blown up with a dirty hit?
"They probably didn’t know who it was. I don’t know," he said. "We have to work on that, and that’s a thing that cannot happen again."
Dahlin was also asked about other incidents in the game.
"What’s most important is to win, and get two points. But I agree with you: We need more of a pushback, for sure," he added. "But all we wanted today was getting two points, and tomorrow we can focus on the other things."
Jason Zucker got cross-checked hard to the ice by Noesen after he scored the Sabres' fourth goal late in the second period. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff was livid there was no penalty on Noesen for that.
Zucker was also on the ice for the Thompson hit, and was just fine with how it went down.
"I never saw it. I was on the ice and the puck came over to [Devils defenseman Dougie] Hamilton, so I went to angle Hamilton. It was obviously a late hit, so the puck was already gone and moving. For me, I never saw the play, as you’ll be able to see if you watch the replay," Zucker said following the win.
"I thought it was a different guy, and it was really hard to tell. It happened quick."
When Zucker was asked if he was frustrated there was no response on Noesen on either hit, Zucker's says the proper response was the team won the game.
"He can hit me from behind, and we scored a goal. So he made two plays that cost their team a win. We’ll take that all day," Zucker said.
"We can talk about responding, but you’re not going to go do something that’s going to cost our team a win when you don’t know what happened. I could’ve dropped my gloves and tried to fight someone, but I’m going to get a two, a five and a 10 for instigating, I’m going to get kicked out of the game. If I respond differently after he hits me after my goal, I’m going to take a penalty and that’s going to cost us possibly. So a lot of the time, the best response is to not do anything. I think it’s a little bit different on the 'Tommer' hit, but I don’t think anyone had a clear view of it. Tuch and the guys that weren’t playing said the broadcast really didn’t catch it until late, so it’s easy to say there’s no response, but personally, I disagree with that."
Ruff said following the game that Thompson is OK, and passed all the tests and doesn’t have a concussion. He’s available for practice on Monday, but Ruff may give him the day off.
As far as the hit, Ruff certainly didn't like it, and felt the penalty was definitely deserved.
"I know I had a couple of guys that wanted to go after them right away, and where we were at in the game, there was going to be a time where we were going to even the score," Ruff said.
Ruff was told people on the outside that saw or would see that play would come to the conclusion that his team would not have responded. Ruff cut off the question, and got quite angry.
"Bull****. Bull****. Let’s go, next question," he said.
When asked about Noesen being gone, Ruff then said, "You pick another guy. Pick any guy then."
Ruff also talked about how the Devils ran over the Philadelphia Flyers in their last game.
"I knew our guys had to be ready, and I thought they were," he said. "There were some guys that didn’t play, because I didn’t know if some of our guys could match that intensity right off the bat. But I thought our guys answered the call."
I can promise you if Dennis Gilbert was on the ice at the time of the hit on Thompson, we’d be having a whole different conversation. He would’ve addressed it immediately.
The Sabres have won three-straight games, and 4-of-6 contests, however, they’re still in last place in the Eastern Conference by five points. When Sunday's game was over, they were 11 points out of a playoff spot. Buffalo would have to make up the ground and leap over eight teams to get there, so the win meant absolutely nothing. They are not making the playoffs.
If they were two points behind, I get it, win the game and find Noesen next season. But you’re this far out of the playoffs, and some little punk takes your best scorer’s head off on purpose and you do nothing? You deserve everything you’re getting from this fan base.
I hope Ruff was just protecting his players in public, but had a different reaction behind closed doors.