BUFFALO – Following a five-game absence, Tage Thompson quickly resumed his role as the Sabres’ offensive catalyst, generating chance after chance during the last three contests.
The ultra-talented center has attempted 30 shots and landed 16 on goal since returning from a lower-body injury, the NHL’s third-highest total entering Monday’s schedule.
He converted zero of those opportunities.
The Sabres overcame Thompson’s absence, compiling a 4-1-0 record without their leading goal scorer. But they’ve scored just three goals, been shut out twice and lost all three games (0-2-1) with their top pivot back in the lineup.
Of course, Thompson, whose Sabres begin a five-game home stand Tuesday against old friend Casey Mittelstadt and the Colorado Avalanche, can’t be blamed for the team’s recent struggles. He has been a bear for the opposition to handle throughout only his second three-game goal drought this season.
In Friday afternoon’s 4-3 loss, seconds before Connor Garland clinched the win, Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen stymied Thompson’s quick backhand attempt in front.
“It’s only three games, but, yeah, I feel like for the amount of chances I have generated, I feel like I should’ve had a few,” Thompson said following Monday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “… But that happens sometimes, and I think you just got to be calm and turn the page and just stay positive. I think when you start thinking about it, that’s kind of when it can snowball into something a lot worse.
“I find that if you’re getting your chances, then you’re doing something right.”
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Thompson has been doing a lot of things right this year. Prior to being injured Nov. 11, he was on pace to score 56 goals and enjoy one of the most prolific offensive campaigns in franchise history.
So far, he has registered 11 goals and 18 points in 19 games.
Much of Thompson’s success can be traced to maturity. Having been named an alternate captain this year, he has grown into a bigger leadership role.
He has become one of the strongest voices in the dressing room. On the ice, the ups and downs of eight years – demotions, a 47-goal season and injuries – have shaped him, and he said he “the biggest thing I’m trying to focus on is consistency.”
“Impacting the game when you’re not scoring … trying to impact the game in other ways, whether that’s being physical, going to the net, just being an annoyance for their D, being hard on forechecks, just playing a full 200-foot game,” he said.
Coach Lindy Ruff, who took over the Sabres this season, said Thompson’s willingness to improve has jumped out at him.
“His work away from the puck has been almost, I’d say, second-to-none on the team,” he said. “Like his tracking and his physicality, just all parts of his game have been really good. It’s probably the thing that has impressed me the most, that he’s taken a lot of pride in making sure that away from the puck he’s playing a real solid game, too.”
While Thompson has played some solid games since returning, Ruff also said “there’s been some rust.” Some of his shots, for example, have hit the goalie’s midsection.
“He’s had some good opportunities,” Ruff said. “He’s probably had more primary opportunities to score. He had the overtime opportunity against Van that you’d like to see him finish. I thought it was just a heck of a move. Maybe just a heck of a save by the goaltender, too, at the same time.
“Inside of that, I don’t think he’s hit his mark with his shot. In the mini game (during practice), I think a couple got the goalie in the chest, where I think sometimes when a guy’s really hot, that’s maybe finding five-hole or he’s going upstairs.”
Thompson said taking his time – “Making sure I was 100 percent healthy,” he said – recovering from his latest injury has made a difference. Last season, when he returned from a broken hand too early, he said he had a difficult time getting his footing.
“This one was, obviously, not as serious and more of a lingering thing,” said Thompson, who centered Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker, a new addition to the top line, during Monday’s practice. “So I just wanted to take my time with it.”
