Thompson leads way for Sabres in crazy tilt with Ducks

Anaheim, Calif. (WGR) - Despite a rough start, the Buffalo Sabres erased a 3-1 deficit with six unanswered goals, and then needed every goal along the way after the Anaheim Ducks battled back to make it a game late. However, the Sabres managed to hold on and earn a 7-6 win at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

It was a big night for Sabres forward Tage Thompson, who scored a natural hat-trick and accounted for five points in the win.

There was no shortage of action in the first period, as the goals came early and often.

Anaheim jumped out of the gates with two power play goals before three minutes of game time had even expired. With former Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger and Sabres winger Zach Benson both in the penalty box, the home side bookended the 5-on-3 power play with goals from forwards Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier.

The Sabres responded at the halfway point of the opening stanza.

It was forward Tyson Kozak halving the deficit with a shot from long distance, using linemate Beck Malenstyn as a screen in front of Ducks goalie Ville Husso to make it a 2-1 game.

Buffalo's one-goal deficit lasted all of 35 seconds, though.

Ducks rookie forward Roger McQueen potted the first goal of his NHL career at the other end of the rink, as he solved Sabres goalie Colten Ellis at the 10:38 mark to make it 3-1, Anaheim.

The Sabres managed to get the equalizing goals to close out a wild first period at in Anaheim.

The first Buffalo tally came on the power play, as forward Noah Ostlund buried his shot for his fourth score of the season.

Then with 4:28 left in the frame, Thompson accepted a pass from Benson and blew past the Anaheim defense, then using a strong power move to beat Husso on the short side for his sixth goal of the year.

After both teams were stymied for the first 18:36 of the second period, Thompson turned one goal into a hat-trick in a matter of just 14 seconds.

Thompson's second of the game came off an offensive-zone faceoff win from Peyton Krebs.

With the goal, Thompson took over the team-lead in goals from Jack Quinn with his seventh goal of the season.

Shortly thereafter, Rasmus Dahlin exited the defensive zone and located a streaking Thompson up the right wing at the Ducks' blue line. He then turned on the jets, went to the net and beat Husso through the five-hole for his 10th-career hat-trick.

The Sabres' barrage continued into the third period, as Buffalo tacked on two more goals to go up 7-3 by the 6:37 mark of the final frame.

Buffalo scored once more on the power play thanks to Jack Quinn, who got a nice bounce off a Ducks defender in front of the net.

Moments later, it was Benson breaking in behind the Anaheim defense and beating Husso all alone to put home Buffalo's seventh goal of the night.

Less than a minute after Benson's goal, the Ducks finally put a stop to the Sabres' goal-scoring when Gauthier made it 7-4, Buffalo. It was Gauthier's second goal of the night; both of the power play variety.

Amazingly, Anaheim made a real game of it before the final horn sounded. Very late goals from Tristan Luneau and Beckett Sennecke had the Honda Center on its feet.

However, Sennecke's goal made it a 7-6 contest with just 31 seconds to play, which ended up being a bit too late for Anaheim to find that late-tying goal.

Ellis hunkered down and made one more high-danger save before an Anaheim icing with two seconds to play all but sealed things in a wild night in Southern California.

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SCORING RECAP:

First Period:

BUF: 10:03 - Tyson Kozak (1) (Sam Carrick, Mattias Samuelsson); 11:39 - Noah Ostlund (4) PPG (Zach Benson, Tage Thompson); 15:31 - Tage Thompson (6) (Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs)
ANA: 1:57 - Mikael Granlund (3) PPG (Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson); 2:54 - Cutter Gauthier (3) PPG (Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson); 10:38 - Roger McQueen (1) (Sam Colangelo, Nick Jensen)

Second Period:

BUF: 18:36 - Tage Thompson (7) (Peyton Krebs); 18:51 - Tage Thompson (8) (Rasmus Dahlin, Peyton Krebs)
ANA: NONE

Third Period:

BUF: 1:57 - Jack Quinn (7) PPG (Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin); 6:37 - Zach Benson (2) (Olen Zellweger)
ANA: 7:26 - Cutter Gauthier (4) PPG (Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson); 18:52 - Tristan Luneau (2) (Judd Caufield); 19:29 - Beckett Sennecke (8) (Unassisted)

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STATS OF THE GAME:

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Bluestar Home Services Three Stars of the Game:

1.) Tage Thompson - BUF
2.) Cutter Gauthier - ANA
3.) Peyton Krebs - BUF

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What's next:

The Sabres' California road trip wraps up on Saturday afternoon against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Faceoff is set for 4 p.m. ET with Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray on the call on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR.