Earlier today, Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff left practice in a great deal of pain thanks to an inadvertent leg sweep from Jordan Leopold.
After going to local hospital for X-rays, it was learned the 51-year-old bench boss had suffered three broken ribs, according to the Sabres team website.
Ruff wasn’t made available for comment following the diagnosis, but the Sabres reported he would be back at practice on Tuesday. Buffalo’s next game is on Wednesday at the First Niagara Center against Boston.
The collision occurred when Leopold got tangled with Ville Leino and lost his balance, sliding to the ice and clipping Ruff from behind, taking the coach’s legs out. Ruff went airborne and landed hard on the ice, letting out a very audible scream that alerted those in attendance.
“I lost my breath,” Leopold said. “I was looking back and I kind of yelled, ‘Are you all right? Are you all right?’ Right away, ‘No.’ That wasn’t a good thing.”
(Image courtesy Buffalo News)