Sabres Criticized After Thompson's Injury Incident

The Buffalo Sabres faced criticism for not retaliating after star forward Tage Thompson was injured by a hit from New Jersey Devils' Stefan Noesen, who received a match penalty for the incident. The Sabres held a team meeting to address their inaction, with head coach Lindy Ruff acknowledging 'hard conversations' took place. Despite fan outrage over the lack of immediate response, Ruff emphasized the team's focus on winning and revealed Thompson passed concussion protocols, although he will miss the next game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Sabres have been on a three-game winning streak, but still sit last in the Eastern Conference. This incident has revived memories of the team's failure to defend Ryan Miller in 2011, a moment seen as defining for the team's struggles since. The Sabres' next steps will focus on leveraging their recent victories while addressing perceived weaknesses in team toughness.