The Buffalo Sabres will begin their final homestand of the regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, with milestones on the line for both sides. The Leafs have an opportunity to win the Atlantic Division for the first time and for winger Mitch Marner to reach the 100-point mark, while on the Sabres side they will have another chance to notch head coach Lindy Ruff’s 900th career victory.
The Sabres held a brief morning skate on Tuesday without center Beck Malenstyn and defenseman Owen Power. Malenstyn took a shot up high against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, and his absence will require a call up from AHL Rochester to fill in on the fourth line. Power’s injury is feared to be more serious and could be long-term.
Other Sabres Stories
Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday?
Sabres Ownership Ranked Worst In NHL By Survey In The Athletic
Dahlin Refutes Assertion Of Wanting Out Of Buffalo
“It looks to be (a serious injury), so we don’t really have a time frame yet. We’ll have more information for a follow-up today or in the next couple days,” Ruff said. “I don’t know if I should say month to month, but he would be listed week to week, but that’s just me kind of speculating. He’d be out for some period of time.”
Power left Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Panthers in the second period after defenseman Mattias Samuelsson knocked Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe into the Sabres blueliner, rolling up on his left leg. While Ruff did not indicate any specifics on the injury, there is a fear of it being long-term, which would mean that the former #1 overall pick would be spending most or all of the upcoming offseason rehabilitating it.
“He’s such a big piece of the team, and obviously, he’s continuing to grow his game and develop,” Sabres forward Tage Thompson said. “I guess the silver lining is it’s an injury that’s happened going into the summer, and he’ll have time to rehab it and rest it, get ready for the upcoming season and come back stronger……It’s obviously tough to see anyone get injured, and I definitely feel for him right now, but having gone through injuries myself, especially ones where you’re out a little bit longer, it’s sometimes gonna be a blessing. This could be something that really helps him.”
Follow Michael on X, Instagram and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
Read the full article here