Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said on Apr. 29 that rookie forward Noah Ostlund will be out for “a period of time” after suffering a lower-body injury during the first period of Game 5 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ostlund had contributed an assist and an empty-net goal in his playoff debut, helping the Sabres secure a win in Game 3. His absence presents a challenge for Buffalo as they continue their postseason run.
Ruff addressed Ostlund’s status, saying, “The news wasn’t good. Don’t know exactly how much we know, but he’s gonna miss some time.” The injury occurred when Boston Bruins forward Casey Mittelstadt fell awkwardly on Ostlund’s left leg while battling for the puck. Ostlund attempted to return to the ice but was unable to continue playing.
Josh Norris is expected to fill Ostlund’s spot in the lineup. Norris has not played since Game 2 due to an undisclosed injury but previously centered a line with Zach Benson and Josh Doan at the start of the playoffs—the same position held by Ostlund during Games 3 through 5. Ruff said there may be adjustments: “Overall, if you look at where our lines have been on the five-to-five play, all the lines have had great opportunities… Whether we reevaluate where our lines are at and flip a few pieces around, we’ll get to that.”
Looking ahead, Buffalo will practice Thursday before traveling to Boston for Game 6 on Friday night. The team has already won twice in Boston during this series and aims to close out their first-round matchup against the Bruins after narrowly missing an opportunity in overtime of Game 5.
Ruff commented on his team’s mindset following their recent loss: “I just sensed the little bit of nerves with our guys… just get them to relax, play our game and be ready to go.” He added about preparing for Game 6: “Really just focusing on our game… I just feel now pressure kind of reverts back to them in their building, and they haven’t played well in their building, and we get to go there and play in their building where we’ve won two games.”
