Thompson and Luukkonen considered day to day while Samuelsson to miss "weeks" with lower-body injury

Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff offered promising updates on the statuses of Tage Thompson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after both players were absent from practice on Wednesday, but announced that defenseman Mattias Samuelsson will be out “long-term” with a lower-body injury.

Thompson exited Monday’s game against Montreal with a lower-body injury following his first shift of the second period. Luukkonen played the first two periods of that game but was replaced by Devon Levi to start the third due to an ailment he had sustained in practice.

Neither Thompson nor Luukkonen have been ruled out for Thursday’s home game against St. Louis.

Samuelsson also left Monday’s game during the second period as a result of his lower-body injury. The defenseman had returned to the lineup after being scratched for the previous three games.

Ruff said Samuelsson is expected to return this season.

“It’s a long-term (injury), but it’s not something that’s going to be the whole year,” Ruff said. “And right now, it doesn’t look like something that he has to be operated on.”

Samuelsson was limited to 41 games last season due to shoulder surgery. Multiple injuries limited him to 55 games the season prior.

His injury on Monday occurred during a battle with Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky in front of the Buffalo net.

“I think it’s part of the game,” Ruff said. “I think there are some players that get bit by the injury bug a lot more than other players, and he has been one of them. Just got to battle your way through it and be ready for your next opportunity.”

With Samuelsson out, either Dennis Gilbert or Henri Jokiharju will enter the lineup on defense on Thursday. Ruff said there are no immediate plans to recall a player from Rochester with seven healthy defensemen remaining on the NHL roster.

Here’s more from Wednesday’s practice.

Lines at practice

News and notes

1. Ryan McLeod filled in for Thompson on the top line, centering Zach Benson and Alex Tuch. JJ Peterka slotted in on the left wing alongside Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn.

On the power play, Cozens slotted into Thompson’s usual spot on the left flank of the top unit. Here’s the units shaped up in their entirety:

2. Cozens scored his second goal of the season after Thompson left the game on Monday, which Ruff said was a sign of the forward’s continued progress.

“I’ve liked where Cozens’ game has been, even his last two or three games,” Ruff said. “His skating, he’s getting on the score sheet, physical. I think what’s really been evident has been his skating.”

Cozens agreed that he’s felt his game improve as the early part of the season has wore on.

“I’ve been feeling better,” he said. “I’ve been feeling more like myself recently. I feel like I’ve been skating better and just driving the puck up the ice more. I just want to carry the puck up the ice with speed. Keep getting better every day.”

3. The Sabres lost a back-and-forth game to the Canadiens 7-5, snapping what had been a three-game winning streak. Ruff spoke after practice about what he’ll be looking for as a response.

“We’ve talked hard about consistent hockey,” he said. “I think we’ve won three of our last four and we should have at least gotten points out of this last game. I feel we’re in a lot better place than we were two weeks ago. I thought last game was a step back.

“We’ve got to become a team that doesn’t lose two games in a row. Stop it at one. That’s when you know you can really start putting things together, so that’s our test. Stop it at one; let’s win the next game and get going in the other direction again.”

Up next

The Sabres host the Blues at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Tickets are available here.

The game will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+ and Hulu. Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray will have the radio call on WGR 550.