The miserable cycle of Buffalo Sabres hockey continues as the 2024-2025 season winds down. They are going to miss the postseason again, rumors are swirling that some of their leadership group want to leave the team, and the road back to contention remains longer than ever.
Amid the disappointment, the Sabres have a lone bright spot. Forward Tage Thompson continues to be an offensive gift to Buffalo, giving the team a goal scorer unlike any they've had before. Through 71 games, Thompson has 36 goals and is closing in on his second 40-goal season with the Sabres since joining the club.
Against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Thompson recorded his 36th goal of the season. It was an excellent play from the hulking sniper. He corralled a loose puck near the blue line to give the Sabres a quick odd-man break. Thompson curled and dragged the puck around a diving Penguins defender and lasered a shot behind the Pittsburgh goalie.
That's the hallmark of Thompson's game. He creates just a bit of space and then uses his lethal shooting ability to finish the play. It took him 50 feet and a few seconds to make the Penguins pay in their recent contest.
If Thompson can hit the 40-goal mark, this will be the second time he achieves the impressive feat. During the 2022-2023 season, he posted a career high 47 goals and 47 assists. That was a follow up to his 38-goal 2021-2022 campaign.
Now, he's on the verge of 40 goals again. Even more impressive, he's collecting these goals on one of the worst teams in the league. With 11 more opportunities in the 2024-2025 season, the Sabres and Thompson have little to play for, but their top forward will give it his all as he finishes another huge offensive season.
