BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Sabres will be without Tage Thompson for an extended period after the top-line center was injured taking a shot to the wrist during Buffalo’s 5-2 loss against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

Coach Don Granato said the injury will cause Thompson to miss “significant time, unfortunately.” Thompson got hurt in the second period, after returning to the game following a cut on his leg that caused him to go to the dressing room during the first period.

Granato clarified an injury timeline Wednesday morning during an appearance on WGR550, saying he expects Thompson to miss a few weeks to, at worst, a little over a month.

“He fought through the first injury, but couldn’t fight through the second one,” Granato said.

Thompson was Buffalo’s second-leading scorer with six goals and 12 points through the first 15 games. Last year, he led the Sabres with 47 goals and 94 points, earning his first All-Star selection, but was limited late in the season by a back injury.

Buffalo has been without top-line winger Alex Tuch for the past three games, but he could return from his upper-body injury absence as early as Friday’s game in Winnipeg.

Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens, who had been playing Tuch’s position in the wing next to Thompson and Skinner, will be counted on as the Sabres’ top centers while Thompson is out.

“They’re going to have to,” Granato said. “I think those are two guys that have a track record of responding to adversity and challenge and this is a much greater challenge now presented to them and to us as a group.”