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 Buffalo Sabres come home Wednesday from a 3-0-0 California road trip to host the NHL’s third-best team, the Minnesota Wild. Paul Hamilton has his game preview:

Tage Thompson will return from a lower-body injury when the Sabres host the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, MSG-B). The center missed five games after he was injured Nov. 11 against the Montreal Canadiens. He played one shift in the second period before leaving the game.

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.

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 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.