OTP - Sabres Are Chasing .500 The Buffalo Sabres had reasons to feel anxious after a disappointing 7-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday afternoon. The Sabres traded goals with the Canadiens throughout the game, continually bouncing back and taking a 5-4 lead in the third period, but could not hold the lead against a club that entered the contest in last place in the NHL standings at 4-9-2. The news got worse when the club announced via social media that center Tage Thompson and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson suffered lower-body injuries and would not return for the third period. After the game, head coach Lindy Ruff indicated that he did not have an update on the injuries and reiterated the same on Tuesday morning on WGR 550 radio. Thompson’s injury is of particular concern to the Sabres, as he is tied for second in the NHL and leads the club with 11 goals, and represents another bit of déjà vu for the squad. Last season, Buffalo’s top center was injured at almost the exact time (November 14, 2023) against Boston, suffering a broken hand blocking a shot and missed nine games. The Sabres were 7-8-1 after the loss to the Bruins, the same record they had after losing to the Habs. Buffalo went 3-5-1 during Thompson's absence and did not get back over .500 until early March, which means that Thompson's loss contributed significantly to the club's missing the playoffs. The club is expected to provide an update on Thompson’s status on Wednesday, and just like last season, an extended absence will have sizable implications for the Sabres post-season aspirations. Follow Michael on X @MikeInBuffalo [https://twitter.com/MikeInBuffalo]
