Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka each record a hat-trick on Tuesday night to help power the Buffalo Sabres to a 7-2 victory over the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.
The Bruins scored first partway through the first period when Mason Lohrei skated in from the blue line and scored his third goal of the season. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen got a piece of the puck with his glove hand, but could not stop the shot.
Less than a minute later, though, the Sabres were able to answer and tie the game at 1-1. Thompson received a drop pass from Dylan Cozens, and he buried his 23rd goal of the season with a shot registered at 102.3 mph.
Buffalo was credited with nine shots on goal in the first period, compared to five for Boston. Neither team had a power play opportunity in the opening frame.
The Sabres were able to score twice in less than two minutes early in the second period to help open up a 3-1 lead over Boston.
First, it was Thompson capping off a beautiful passing play in front of the Bruins net for his second goal of the night.
Mattias Samuelsson started the chance in the offensive zone and was credited with the secondary assist. Ryan McLeod received the primary assist on the goal as well.
Peterka doubled Buffalo's lead to two goals after beating Swayman with a shot from the left wing. The goal was Peterka's 12th of the season.
Owen Power and Thompson assisted on the goal.
Thompson completed the hat-trick early in the third period, and recorded his fourth point of the game. The forward used former Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov as a screen to create the scoring chance.
The hat-trick is the seventh of Thompson's career.
The Bruins used a power play opportunity to pull within two goals, 4-2, midway through the third period. Brad Marchand one-timed a shot from the slot to record his 18th goal of the season.
However, Peterka answered 30 seconds later to restore the three-goal advantage for Buffalo. The forward cut through a pair of Bruins defenders and scored his 13th goal of the year.
Peterka then completed the hat-trick with an empty-net goal from just over the red line later in the final period. It is the first hat-trick registered by Peterka in his career.
It has been more than a decade since the Sabres last had two players record a hat-trick in the same game.
The Sabres added one more goal with seconds remaining in regulation thanks to a power play goal. Zach Benson was able to get a piece of a Jack Quinn shot towards the Boston net for his ninth of the season.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 13:39 - Tage Thompson (23) (Dylan Cozens, JJ Peterka)
BOS: 12:44 - Mason Lohrei (3) (Unassisted)
Second Period:
BUF: 4:43 - Tage Thompson (24) (Ryan McLeod, Mattias Samuelsson); 6:32 - JJ Peterka (12) (Owen Power, Tage Thompson)
BOS: NONE
Third Period:
BUF: 3:13 - Tage Thompson (25) (Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram); 10:43 - JJ Peterka (13) (Jiri Kulich); 14:26 - JJ Peterka (14) ENG (Unassisted); 19:47 - Zach Benson (9) PPG (Jack Quinn, Dylan Cozens)
BOS: 10:13 - Brad Marchand (18) PPG (Elias Lindholm, David Pastrnak)
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Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Tage Thompson - BUF
2.) JJ Peterka - BUF
3.) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres continue their four-game homestand on Friday night when they host the Nashville Predators at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. on the flagship home of the Sabres Radio Network - WGR Sports Radio 550.
Pregame coverage, including the induction ceremony of Rob Ray into the Sabres Hall of Fame, begins at 6 p.m.