(WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres are in New Jersey to restart the NHL season on Wednesday, where they will face the Devils.
Tage Thompson was on the ice for the morning skate, and head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed following practice that Thompson will play after being in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night. Thompson was part of the gold medal-winning United States men’s ice hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Thompson, of course, has had a conversation with Ruff, and the head coach will keep on eye on his No. 1 center.
"I had a good conversation with him this morning. I think we’ll just evaluate as the game goes," said Ruff with reporters. "I understand it’s been a heck of a three days emotionally and everything they’ve gone through, so just watch the minutes."
Ruff says Thompson rejoined the team late Tuesday night.
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Others that are returning for the Sabres on Wednesday are from injury, including forwards Josh Norris and Josh Dunne, as well as goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
All week during practice, Norris has been centering Noah Ostlund and Josh Doan. Norris has missed the last 12 games for Buffalo.
Dunne will likely be playing on a line with Beck Malenstyn and Tyson Kozak. The Sabres have really missed Dunne on that line during the 13 games he injured and out. The team didn’t forecheck as well, and they had less time in the offensive zone.
Luukkonen got hurt on Jan. 27 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. He only played 12:14 of that contest, and then missed the next five games.
The Sabres netminder comes into this game 7-2-1 in his last 11 games. That streak started with a win in New Jersey on Dec. 21, where he picked up his first road win of the season.
Overall this season, Luukkonen is 11-7-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
The Sabres have split their first two games of the season with the Devils, winning 3-1 in New Jersey, while also getting blown out, 5-0, in Buffalo back in November.
Buffalo was 0-1-1 in their last two games before the Olympic break, and 1-2-1 in their last four. In 28 games overall before the break, they were the second-best team in the NHL with a record of 21-5-2.
In that time period, the Sabres are third in goals-for with 3.79 per-game, and fourth in goals-against at 2.61.
The Sabres' last game was Feb. 5 at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ruff says he’ll have things he’ll need to watch for coming back.
"It’s managing the puck, getting the puck in the right place, trying to make sure we play behind them. Don’t fuel their offense by being careless with the puck, and we’ve got to get inside," Ruff said. "There’s a little bit of time, there’s probably an opportunity to overcook plays, and I think try to keep the game simple coming back."
Going into Wednesday, 95 points would get likely get a team into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To get to 95 points, the Sabres would have to go 12-12-1 in the final 25 games.
Buffalo currently has 70 points. Their points percentage of .614 has them in the top Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference. A win puts them in a tie for third place in the Atlantic Division, but the Sabres would actually hold the tie-breaker with the Detroit Red Wings.
As for the Olympics overtime hero, Jack Hughes, the Devils forward is also scheduled to play on Wednesday. Due to injury this season, he’s only played 36 games this season, scoring 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points.
New Jersey came into the break with three-straight losses and five losses in six games.
Jake Allen will be in goal for the Devils on Wednesday. He’s 12-14-1 this season with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
Devils captain Nico Hischier leads the team in scoring with 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points in 57 games.
Defenseman Luke Hughes is still injured, so he won’t be in the lineup.
New Jersey is only ahead of the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference with a points percentage of .509.
The Sabres posted the lines from Wednesday’s morning skate:
Forwards:
Krebs - Thompson - Tuch
Ostlund - Norris - Doan
Zucker- McLeod - Quinn
Dunne - Kozak - Malenstyn
Defense:
Samuelsson - Dahlin
Byram - Power
Metsa - Kesselring
Join the Bulldog for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. when you'll hear from Ruff, Thompson, and Rasmus Dahlin.
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