Sabres’ Tage Thompson nets 5 targets in blowout win over Blue Jackets

Buffalo Sabres middle Tage Thompson has emerged as one of many high stars within the NHL this season, and his efficiency Wednesday night time in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets underscored that notion.

Thompson scored 5 targets within the Sabres’ 9-4 win over the Blue Jackets, together with 4 within the first interval alone. He is the second U.S.-born participant to attain 5 targets in a recreation. 

Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson, proper, retains the puck away from Columbus Blue Jackets’ Gavin Bayreuther through the third interval of an NHL hockey recreation Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio.
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

He is the fourth participant in NHL historical past to file 4 targets within the first interval of a regular-season recreation, becoming a member of Peter Bondra, Grant Mulvey and Joe Malone. He can also be the fourth lively participant to attain 5 targets in a recreation, becoming a member of Timo Meier, Mika Zibanejad and Patrik Laine.

“It’s positively a rewarding feeling,” Thompson mentioned after the sport. “You’ve spent numerous years working to get so far and to be rewarded for it’s a fairly good feeling, and it simply leaves you hungrier.”

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Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson, proper, celebrates his objective in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets with Jeff Skinner through the first interval of an NHL hockey recreation Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. 
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Thompson’s targets within the first interval had been 4 of the six Buffalo scores within the first interval.

“That was a tremendous efficiency by Tage, and actually, the entire group set the desk,” Buffalo coach Dan Granato mentioned. “I assumed the power, the collective effort, the main focus to start out was actually good and enabled that to occur.”

It was Thompson’s third profession hat trick and the second of the season.

Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson, proper, scores a objective in opposition to Columbus Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzlikins through the first interval of an NHL hockey recreation Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio. 
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Buffalo is 12-13-1 this season. Columbus fell to 8-15-2.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.