Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson will return to the ice Wednesday night following a five-game absence. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff confirmed Thompson's return to the lineup against the visiting Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres forward told the media after practice on Tuesday that he will be ready to play in Wednesday's game vs. the Minnesota Wild.

Sabres forward Tage Thompson returned from a five-game absence due to injury, but Buffalo lost 1-0 to the Wild.

Tage Thompson will return Wednesday against the visiting Minnesota Wild after missing the past five games with a lower-body injury, the team said. Thompson told reporters on Tuesday he was held out of the last two games of the Sabres' California road trip for precautionary reasons.

Thompson skated in his usual spot between JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch without any flareups on Wednesday and Ruff indicated that the center was good to go. The Sabres are holding on to the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 23 points (tied with Boston,