Sabres’ Lindy Ruff provides flurry of injury updates ahead of Leafs clash

The Buffalo Sabres are not just a surprise team that has risen out of the ashes in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference to play respectable hockey. They have become a first-place team that plays with swagger and confidence on an every-night basis for head coach Lindy Ruff.

They enter Saturday night’s home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a two-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. It is clearly vital for the Sabres to bounce back after suffering a rare home defeat Thursday night to the Washington Capitals.

Prior to that 2-1 loss, the Sabres had won eight straight games since returning from the Olympic break. They have an excellent chance to bounce back against the struggling Maple Leafs, but Ruff revealed that Mattias Samuelsson is doubtful and that Tanner Pearson appeared to be out. He also said that it appeared high-scoring Alex Tuch would be in the lineup.

The Sabres have been getting scoring from multiple lines since turning their season around in early December. Tage Thompson is their best weapon as he has scored a team-leading 34 goals with his booming shot and he has added 36 assists for 70 points. Highly skilled defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is second in scoring with 13 goals and 47 points for 60 points. Tuch is right behind Dahlin as he has put the puck in the net 28 times and he has added 29 assists for 57 points.

While the Sabres have their leaders back in the lineup, the Leafs will be without captain Auston Matthews. His season came to an end after suffering a torn MCL after a knee on knee collision with Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks.

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