Sabres’ Tage Thompson, Mattias Samuelsson leave game against Canadiens with injuries
The Buffalo Sabres announced that forward Tage Thompson and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson would not return to Monday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.
Thompson scored the tying goal to make it 1-1 with a nifty move to net his 11th goal of the season, tying him for first place leaguewide. But Thompson was not spotted on the Sabres bench after the second period.
Samuelsson headed to the Sabres locker room after blocking a shot in front of the Sabres net. When Samuelsson exited the game, it was 5-4 Buffalo.
Both Tage Thompson and Mattias Samuelsson will not return today's game (lower body).
— Buffalo Sabres PR (@SabresPR) November 11, 2024Thompson has racked up 11 goals and 18 points in 16 games this season, leading all Sabres skaters. After posting a career-best 47 goals and 94 points during the 2022-23 campaign, Thompson took a step back and tallied 29 goals and 59 points.
Thompson was initially selected in the first round, No. 26 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues and was a part of the infamous Ryan O’Reilly trade. During the 2021-22 season, Thompson emerged and notched 38 goals and 68 points in 78 games. That summer, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams signed the Glendale, Arizona native to a monster seven-year, $50,000,000 contract.
Samuelsson has one point in 12 games while racking up 14 blocked shots and 23 hits in 16:52 minutes of ice time. The 24-year-old sat last week and watched the Sabres game against the Ottawa Senators from the press box.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff explained the scratch, “I’ve probably been more patient than I’ve ever been, just trying to figure these guys out,” Ruff told reporters during his post-game availability. “But, there’s a standard you have to play to and their standard hasn’t been good enough.”
Following Monday’s matchup against Montreal, Buffalo is slated to play the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.