One of the many low points of the Buffalo Sabres 2024-25 season was the lack of response to the hit on leading scorer Tage Thompson by New Jersey forward Stefan Noesen. Thompson was laid out by Noesen early in the third period of the Sabres 4-3 win over the Devils on February 2nd. Noesen was given a match penalty and game misconduct, but none of the players on the ice at the time of the hit or in the subsequent remaining 15 minutes responded to the hit, something that Thompson reflected on with reporter Andy Strickland.
"When the hit happened, I didn't even know what happened. I didn't see (Noesen), I didn't know what was going on. I just kind of blacked out, came to, and then was kind of helped off the ice," Thompson said. "Watching it on replay, I thought it was a little dirty (and) I would have liked someone to step in for sure. I was a little little shocked by that."
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After the game, Sabres players responded that it was important to get the two points, but the club cancelled a scheduled practice the following day and held a meeting to address the situation. There was chatter after the incident that changes to the club’s leadership group and/or alternate captaincies were being considered due to the lack of response.
In the end, a fight between then-Sabres blueliner Dennis Gilbert and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier the following game was supposed to reflect some new team accountability, but it was interpreted by many as a day late and a dollar short, but Thompson indicated that the situation was addressed to his satisfaction.
"Our team are great guys, and they all said 'sorry, and (we)should have done something, even if we didn't see it or knew what happened, we should have stepped in it, at least done something'." Thompson said. "Lindy came in and just said 'that can't happen again and if you see someone laying on the ice, or someone gets hit like that, you better step in and do something. I think after that, there (was) a great response and I don't think we had another problem like that the rest of the season."
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