Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week on Monday after a dominant stretch that helped propel Buffalo to a perfect 4-0-0 record.
Thompson collected seven points, including two goals and five assists, during the week. His most memorable performance came Sunday in Buffalo’s wild 8-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, when he recorded a career-high four assists and extended his point streak to 11 games. The run is the longest of Thompson’s career and includes 15 points during that span.
The honor adds to what has already been a memorable stretch for the 28-year-old. Earlier in the week, the Sabres celebrated Thompson’s gold medal performance with Team USA in Milan, where he scored three goals during the tournament. He followed the ceremony by scoring the game-winning goal later that night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Thompson has been one of the NHL’s hottest players for several months. Since Buffalo’s season began to turn around on December 9 in Edmonton, the alternate captain has totaled 47 points, including 21 goals and 26 assists, over 35 games. That production ranks fifth in the league during that stretch, trailing only Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Leon Draisaitl.
The weekly honor marks the fifth Star of the Week recognition of Thompson’s career. He is currently on pace for 43 goals this season after scoring 44 last year and 47 in 2022-23. Over the past four seasons, his 154 goals rank eighth in the NHL, and he is approaching the 400-point mark for his career.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].