Buffalo Sabres facing a tough Game 6 in Boston after receiving Noah Ostlund injury news
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Daniel Lucente
Apr 29, 2026 (1:26 PM)
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Photo credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Noah Ostlund's lower-body injury hits the Buffalo Sabres' playoff depth hard before a tense Game 6 in Boston.
Lindy Ruff did not dress it up.
Ostlund will miss "a period of time" after leaving Game 5 in the first period, and that wording matters.
The 22-year-old rookie was Buffalo's 2022 first-round pick, drafted 16th overall by the Sabres.
This is not just losing a spare forward.
Ostlund had 11-16-27 in 60 regular-season games, then jumped into the playoffs with 1-1-2 in three games.
Ostlund got tangled with Casey Mittelstadt, limped off, then tried to test it before going back down the tunnel.
Noah Ostlund Leaves Buffalo Sabres Searching For Answers
Sabres fans are right to feel punched in the gut because Ostlund gave this lineup speed it did not want to lose.
His value was not just the empty-net goal in Game 3.
He helped Buffalo stretch Boston's blue line and gave Ruff another young forward who could play through traffic.
Now Josh Norris likely comes back in, which changes the feel of that line.
Norris brings more NHL weight, but Ostlund brought pace, quick touches, and a little chaos below the dots.
That matters against Boston.
The Bruins want heavier shifts, longer walls, and slower exits.
Buffalo needs clean first passes, support through the middle, and more urgency on the man advantage.
Ruff can survive this, but he cannot let the lineup get stiff.
Game 6 now becomes a depth exam, not just a close-out chance.
Buffalo already won twice in Boston in this series, so the building is not the excuse.
The real question is whether the Sabres can replace Ostlund's pace without losing their nerve.
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