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When your best player gets taken down (illegally) and the reaction looks like this…
Credit: This afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Devils at home. They had a close call but ultimately won the game by a score of 4-3. They were leading 3-0 at one point in the game. What I take away from this game is the nonexistent response from the Sabres in defense of their best player, […]
This afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Devils at home.

They had a close call but ultimately won the game by a score of 4-3. They were leading 3-0 at one point in the game.

What I take away from this game is the nonexistent response from the Sabres in defense of their best player, Tage Thompson. The American, who collected the 300th point of his career in the game, was solidly hit (illegally) by Stefan Noesen, and the Buffalo players didn’t seem interested in avenging their teammate.

It’s reminiscent of Jeff Petry’s “vengeance” a few years ago when Samuel Montembeault was manhandled by Zack Kassian…

But anyway. In Noesen’s case, he received a game misconduct, but Thompson’s teammates didn’t seem interested in penalizing Noesen beyond that…

There is clearly a lack of leadership in Buffalo, and I’m not going to place the team’s miserable season solely on this lack of leadership, but it certainly doesn’t help.

Fortunately, Thompson, who has 48 points, including 26 goals, in 47 games this season, is doing well, and according to his head coach Lindy Ruff, “he has passed all the tests.”

Despite their third consecutive victory and their 21st of the season, the Sabres are still in last place in the East with a total of 47 points in 52 games. They are five points behind the Penguins and one spot above the last place in the conference.

Their playoff drought will likely continue for at least one more season.


In brief

– Another victory. Montreal hasn’t lost since mid-January.

– Linus Ullmark is back.

– Too bad.

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