Tage Thompson Reaching Elite Level Once Again for Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Detroit Red Wings in a home Saturday matinee, 5-3. The Sabres took it to the Red Wings from the start, bucking the trend of slow starts in recent games. Tage Thompson was Buffalo’s best player once again, proving he’s a true number-one center in the league scoring another two goals and one assist for the Sabres.

Jason Zucker started the scoring for the Sabres, potting Buffalo’s first powerplay goal of the season just over four minutes into the first period. Thompson followed things up with a blast from the slot to make it 2-0. Alex DeBrincat answered shortly after, cutting Buffalo’s lead to one heading into the second.

Thompson struck again in the second period, but tallies from Michael Rasmussen and Lucas Raymond tied the game for the Red Wings. Bowen Byram’s point shot bounced off of the backside of a Red Wings defender and in to help the Sabres regain the lead heading into the third.

Buffalo shut down Detroit in the third before Jack Quinn found the empty net to seal the game and score his first of the season.

Tage Thompson Is Elite

Thompson is stringing together games that not only cement himself as Buffalo’s go-to forward but can also catapult him into MVP discussion. It’s early, but his 11 points in nine games have him on pace for over 100 this season.

His performance against the Red Wings was much more than his offensive production. When Thompson was on the ice, the Red Wings could only muster five shot attempts to 32 for the Sabres. The shot quality was an even bigger disparity, with Buffalo’s top center posting nearly an 88% expected goals-for percentage according to Evolving-Hockey.

Thompson was so puck-dominant that through two and a half periods Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko didn’t even register a shot attempt. Both prominent Red Wings scorers finished with no shots on goal in a lopsided line matchup.

More Thompson: Will Tage Thompson Have a Bounce Back Season for Sabres?

A Sabres Powerplay Goal?

It took 23 attempts, but the Sabres finally scored a powerplay goal. Buffalo’s first powerplay of the night was a strong one, with great puck movement and quality shot attempts. Zucker grabbed a strong rebound and fired it up above Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon to help the Sabres breathe a collective sigh of relief.

“I told you guys by the end of the year,” head coach Lindy Ruff joked after the game. “And I kept my promise.”

The Sabres did surrender another shorthanded goal, so it wasn’t all positive with the man advantage. Buffalo leaves the game still with a negative goal differential playing a man-up.

A Winning Streak

The Buffalo Sabres just did something that took until February of last season to accomplish – winning three games in a row. Ruff credited the red-hot Thompson, JJ Peterka, and Alex Tuch for the recent success.

“I think right now, we’ve got a top line that’s really been doing it,” Ruff said. “If our powerplay can gain a little bit more traction now, it’ll help us continue this run.”

What’s Next

The Sabres will host the Florida Panthers on Monday for the second time this season after defeating them on October 12th, 5-2. The Panthers were without key forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk in that matchup. Both expect to be in the lineup for Florida.