The team’s top defenseman, who played just three shifts before leaving Tampa Bay’s last game Thursday, tried to give it a go, but was scratched.

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost top defenseman and captain Victor Hedman to injury during Thurdsay night’s wild 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Amalie Arena; he managed to play less than three total minutes in the first period,

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman left Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres in the first period after appearing to injure himself behind the Tampa net.

After making a trade to become one of the more dangerous-looking teams in the Atlantic Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning might be looking at an injury to their captain.

Victor Hedman skates off the ice and does not return to the bench for the Lightning.

It was far from pretty and, in fact, the Lightning’s 6-5, comeback win over the Sabres Thursday night was wildly bizarre. Though Tampa Bay was lulled into a sloppy, wide-open game by a Buffalo team with high-skill scorers but a porous defense,