Tage Thompson becomes first player this season with five goals in a game

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson of Phoenix, Arizona became the first player this season to score five goals in a game. He achieved the feat in a 9-4 Sabres win over the Columbus Blue Jackets from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday.

Four goals in the first period

Thompson’s first four goals came in the first period. He put the Sabres up 2-0 from Alex Tuch of Syracuse, New York at 5:32 with an even strength marker. That was followed by a goal at 7:50 of the first period from Tuch and Jeff Skinner, to put the Sabres up 4-0. Thompson then put the Sabres up 5-0  with a power-play goal from Skinner and Dylan Cozens at 12:22 of the first period. The 5-0 goal for Thompson turned out to be the game-winning marker. Then at 16:40 of the first period, Thompson scored from Skinner and Rasmus Dahlin on the power-play to put the Sabres up 6-0.

Thompson set the Sabres franchise record for most goals in a period with four. He also tied the NHL record for most goals scored in a period. The others to accomplish the feat are Joe Malone, Mickey Roach, Pit Lepine, Busher Jackson, Max Bentley, Clint Smith, Red Berenson, Wayne Gretzky, Grant Mulvey, Bryan Trottier, Al Secord, Joe Nieuwendyk, Peter Bondra, Mario Lemieux, and Patrick Marleau. In all, 16 players have accomplished the feat. Malone in fact had four goals in a period three times in his career.

Five Point Period

Thompson also set the Sabres franchise record for most points in a period with five. He picked up an assist on a Sabres’s goal by Dylan Cozens to open the scoring at 3:21 of the first period on the power-play.

Fifth Goal of the Game

Thompson scored his fifth goal at 16:07 of the second period from Tuch and Jacob Bryson at 16:07 of the second period. At the time, the Sabres went up 7-2. The only other Sabres player with five goals in a game was Dave Andreychuk of Hamilton, Ontario, who achieved the feat in an 8-6 Sabres win over the Boston Bruins on February 6, 1986. The last player to score five goals in a game was Timo Meier of the San Jose Sharks who achieved the feat in a 6-2 San Jose win over the Los Angeles Kings on January 17, 2022.