“What happened last game won’t happen again,” Tuch said Tuesday morning ahead of the Sabres' game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The words uttered by Tuch, Cozens and Ruff rang hollow to Sabres fans who have seen similar incidents throughout the 13-year playoff drought, especially in the wake of the news that Thompson will miss at least one game because of the hit. Noesen, meanwhile, did not receive supplementary discipline. The NHL Department of Player Safety considered a match penalty as sufficient punishment.
The Sabres’ toughness and togetherness were called into question, and it is up to this group of players to prove people wrong. The messaging following the morning skate Tuesday also was in stark contrast to what was said by Ruff and his players after Thompson passed initial concussion tests Sunday afternoon.
Mattias Samuelsson, one of four Sabres skaters on the ice during the hit, accepted responsibility and expressed regret. But one of the team’s leaders, Jason Zucker, told reporters that a win was a more impactful response than challenging Noesen or a teammate to a fight.