Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Red Wings

Tage Thompson will return to the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres against the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Thompson has missed nine games since blocking a shot with his wrist during a 5-2 loss to Boston on Nov. 14. He will join the lineup in place of Alex Tuch, who is expected to miss seven to 10 days after sustaining an injury against Nashville on Sunday.

“We talked yesterday, Tage and I did, and he felt his conditioning is in a really good place,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “He wanted to feel a little battle this morning and he knows his body well. He knows what it takes to perform and wanted this morning to confirm it. And that’s great news. In light of a lot of other challenging situations, that’s a real plus for us to have him back in the lineup tonight.”

The game can be streamed exclusively on ESPN+/Hulu with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio call on WGR 550.

Here are five things to know.

1. The lineup

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will miss the game due to an illness, Granato announced. Devon Levi will be recalled from Rochester to back up Eric Comrie.

(UPDATE - 5 p.m.) The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Levi from the Rochester Americans. Additionally, the team has placed Jordan Greenway and Tuch on injured reserve. 

Former Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson – currently working for the organization as a hockey liaison – filled in for Luukkonen during the morning skate.

Here’s how the group lined up Tuesday morning:

Forwards

53 Jeff Skinner – 37 Casey Mittelstadt – 72 Tage Thompson

9 Zach Benson – 24 Dylan Cozens – 77 JJ Peterka

17 Tyson Jost – 19 Peyton Krebs – 21 Kyle Okposo

63 Isak Rosen – 15 Brandon Biro – 71 Victor Olofsson

Defensemen

26 Rasmus Dahlin – 23 Mattias Samuelsson

25 Owen Power – 10 Henri Jokiharju

75 Connor Clifton – 6 Erik Johnson

78 Jacob Bryson – 33 Ryan Johnson

Goalies

31 Eric Comrie

2. Injury updates

Greenway is also expected to miss seven to 10 days with his upper-body injury, which he sustained in Carolina on Saturday.

Jack Quinn, meanwhile, joined the morning skate in a non-contact jersey. He previously participated in a morning skate in Washington on Nov. 22 but has yet to join a full practice. Quinn said he remains on target to return to play around the start of January.

"That's the original date I had in mind," he said. "Take it week-by-week here."

3. Thompson’s return

Thompson skated in Tuch’s place on the wing alongside Jeff Skinner and Casey Mittelstadt as well as on the left flank with the top power-play unit. Following the skate, he offered perspective on the Sabres’ current standing following a run of three straight losses.

“The consistency of winning and losing battles is too big right now, and I think that’s just got to be a mindset when you hop over the boards, you’re not letting that guy across from you take the puck from you or beat you in a battle or beat you to the front of the net,” Thompson said.

“Just the little things that add up over the course of the game, and something I feel like maybe we’ve lost sight of a little bit and just feel like things should be handed to us the way we finished last season. But at the same time, there’s no need to panic and I don’t think there is any panic in our room. Obviously, it feels like there is on the outside, but it’s a long season, we still have, I mean, I think over 60 games left. A lot can happen.”

Granato discussed the psychological benefits of adding Thompson to the lineup.

“Before he became the Tage Thompson everybody knows now, kind of the household name, there was about four or five years of complete grinding, complete facing adversity and challenge and doubt and he battled through all of that with a very strong will and conviction,” Granato said. “We’re in a situation now where we need a strong will and conviction, and he’s a guy that’s walked the walk.”

4. Scouting the Red Wings

The Red Wings signed forward Patrick Kane to a one-year contract last Tuesday, but the Buffalo native will not make his debut against the Sabres.

Detroit has won five of its last six games and scored four or more goals in each of those victories. The Red Wings rank third in the NHL with an average of 3.74 goals per game, with Alex DeBrincat pacing the team with the 13 goals in 23 contests.

Alex Lyon (3-1-0, .958 save percentage) will start in goal for Detroit.

5. Native American Heritage Night

The Sabres will celebrate Native American Heritage Night in partnership with Seneca Resorts and Casinos. The evening will be spent celebrating the history of Native American groups in the Western New York area.

Watch the video below to learn about the Seneca Nation's Western Door Hockey League and the impact of hockey on Seneca youth.