Buffalo Sabres center Sam Carrick sustained a left arm injury during a fight with New York Islanders captain Anders Lee in Tuesday night’s 4-3 victory at KeyBank Center. The incident occurred amid a physical matchup, leaving Carrick in visible pain as he required assistance to leave the ice.
The fight erupted after Lee delivered a hard hit on Sabres forward Josh Norris near center ice, prompting Carrick to drop the gloves in defense of his teammate. As the two exchanged punches, Carrick threw with his right hand while his left arm became awkwardly tangled, leading to him spinning down to the ice. He stayed on the surface briefly, clutching the injured limb, before heading to the locker room and not returning.
Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff addressed the injury after the game, noting it happened during the altercation and that medical staff would assess it further the next day. Carrick, a 34-year-old fourth-line center acquired from the New York Rangers on March 6 in exchange for third- and sixth-round picks in the 2026 draft, had provided solid depth since joining. In his first 12 games with the Sabres, he recorded five goals and one assist. Earlier in the season with the Rangers, he tallied four goals and six assists over 60 appearances.
The win improved Buffalo’s record to 46-21-8, bolstering their strong position with just a handful of games left in the 2025-26 regular season. Tage Thompson and Jack Quinn each contributed a goal and an assist, while Norris added two assists despite the earlier hit. Peyton Krebs and Bowen Byram also scored, with Byram’s empty-netter sealing the outcome. The Sabres had entered the night off a 3-2 shootout victory over Seattle that snapped a three-game skid.
For the Islanders, who fell to 42-29-5, the loss compounded a tough stretch. They had dropped an 8-3 decision to Pittsburgh the night before, slipping to third in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. Teams like the Penguins, with 92 points, and others including Columbus, Ottawa, Detroit and Philadelphia trail closely in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.
Carrick’s status remains uncertain pending evaluation, which could impact Buffalo’s depth as they push toward the postseason. The rugged forward’s physical presence has been valuable, and his absence, even briefly, tests the Sabres’ bottom-six options at a critical juncture.
Not a fan of how Carrick’s arm got twisted back into ER/abduction, think baseball pitcher windup.
— Banged Up Bills (@BangedUpBills) April 1, 2026
As soon as it got twisted back, he dropped. I worry for a dislocated shoulder.
Could return this season, research shows ~ 10 days missed. #Sabres
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