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.

Coming off a highly successful West Coast road trip, the Buffalo Sabres return to home ice on Wednesday to face the Minnesota Wild, when they will likely welcome back their leading goal-scorer. Tage Thompson told reporters after practice Tuesday that he would be "ready to go" against the second-place team in the Central Division.

The Buffalo Sabres were successful on their three-game California road swing, squeaking out victories over the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks, and all without center Tage Thompson in the lineup.

The Wild allow an average of 2.48 goals per game, tied as the second-best mark in the NHL. Their 29 goals allowed at 5-on-5 are the fewest in the league and their 155 high-danger chances against are tied for fifth fewest (according to Natural Stat Trick).

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.

The Buffalo Sabres currently find themselves in a rut, having recently lost their bout vs the Montreal Canadiens. Lindy Ruff’s men entered the clash hoping to extend their three-match winning streak by capitalizing on the Canadiens’ patchy run of form.