Sabres, Thompson hat trick continue Ducks home woes

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse after the Anaheim Ducks’ third-period collapse to the last-place Vancouver Canucks, Tage Thompson and the Buffalo Sabres stormed into Orange County.

After an early 3-1 Ducks lead, the Buffalo Sabres scored six consecutive goals, including a Thompson hat trick, to extend Anaheim’s home woes and hold off the Ducks, 7-6, on Thursday at Honda Center.

Anaheim (5-7-1, 11 points) has now lost seven of its last eight games and have started just 1-4-1 at home. Ducks have allowed 21 goals in their last four games, 29 goals in their last six games and 36 in the last eight games. Anaheim is 1-6-1 in that stretch.

Mikael Granlund and Cutter Gauthier opened the scoring on a five-on-three power play, and Roger McQueen netted his first career NHL goal later in the third period.

Gauthier collected a second power play goal in the third period. Tristan Luneau and Beckett Sennecke scored with the extra attacker late.

Tyson Kozak got Buffalo on the board, and Noah Ostlund’s power play goal and Tage Thompson’s bull rush to the net tied the game, 3-3, in the first period. Thompson completed his hat trick with two goals 14 seconds apart late in the second period.

Jack Quinn added a power play goal early in the third period, and Zach Benson scored on the rush.

Ville Husso made 23 saves in his fourth start in 13 games for Anaheim. Colten Ellis made 28 saves for the Sabres.

Anaheim concludes this three-game homestand against Ottawa on Sunday and before heading out on a three-game Western Canada road trip, beginning in Vancouver on Tuesday.

The Ducks were determined to put Tuesday’s blown three-goal lead against Vancouver behind them quickly, and thanks to a penalty by former Duck Olen Zellweger 35 seconds in and another minor a minute later, Anaheim got an early two-man advantage to make a mark.

Granlund took the opening honors, as Jackson LaCombe and Leo Carlsson quickly exchanged passes at the point and Granlund redirected LaCombe’s shot pass between his legs, 1-0.

LaCombe picked up an assist for the fifth straight game, his seventh helper in that span.

One minute later, after two previously gloved-down one-timers, it was Cutter Gauthier finally snapping a nine-game goalless drought.

Carlsson hit the zone with speed down the left wing and fed Beckett Sennecke, who quickly tapped to Gauthier to bomb the open cage, 2-0, for his first tally since his two-goal home opener on Oct. 5.

Carlsson registered his third consecutive multi-point game for the second time this season, making him the first Duck to do so since Ryan Getzlaf in 2017-18.

Buffalo wouldn’t get on the board for another seven minutes, but as fast as Anaheim got ahead, their lead evaporated just as quickly.

Tyson Kozak floated a shot from the point through traffic for the Sabres’ first tally, but 35 second later, Anaheim got it back with Roger McQueen’s first career NHL goal.

Nick Jensen’s point shot went wide off the end boards, and Sam Colangelo’s attempt got tied up. The loose puck found McQueen in the slot and the 2025 first-round pick deposited it in the net, 3-1.

However, the momentum was short lived.

Buffalo scored its first road power play goal of the season one minute after McQueen’s tally, as Zach Benson one-timer deflected perpendicularly to Noah Östlund in the right circle. Östlund popped it into the yawning cage, 3-2.

The third combined goals in just 1:36 are the fastest three goals in the NHL this season.

The Anaheim lead was completely gone four minutes later, as Thompson burst into the Ducks zone with speed off a turnover and bull rushed his way to the net, 3-3.

Buffalo rolled into the second period and had near full control with a 15-6 shot-on-goal advantage and a 27-10 shot attempt advantage. Husso made a handful of miracle saves, but the dam only held for so long.

With 1:24 remaining in the middle frame, Thompson blasted his second of the game far side right off a Peyton Krebs face-off victory.
On the ensuing shift, Thompson galloped down the right side around Tyson Hinds and buried his second goal in 14 second and third goal of the game for the hat trick and 5-3 lead after two periods.

Buffalo’s lead grew quickly into the third period, as Ducks goals leader Beckett Sennecke built on his team lead in penalties on a spinaround, no-look tripping penalty. 

Jack Quinn fired a centering pass off LaCombe’s skate and into the net, 6-3, for the Sabres’ second power play goal just 1:57 into the period.

Five minutes later, Zach Benson charged in alone down the right wing for the extra point, 7-3.
Gauthier scored again on the power play one minute after Benson’s tally, 7-4. All four of Gauthier’s goals this season are on the power play.

With Husso pulled for the extra attacker, Luneau drove the net for his second goal of the season, as Caulfield’s centering pass went off Luneau’s skate.

Sennecke put in a rebound with 30 seconds to play,