Score: Buffalo Sabres 3 | Tampa Bay Lightning 2 (Shootout)
Shots: BUF 38 | TBL 24
Buffalo Sabres Goals: Tage Thompson (40), Jason Zucker (20)
Tampa Bay Lightning: Brayden Point (39), Gage Goncalves (6)
Plus 1: Tage Hits 40
Scorers keep scoring. Tage Thompson hit the 40-goal mark, while Jason Zucker respectively hits the 20-goal mark. It’s a nice upgrade from last season for Tage, when he had 29 goals, and is the second 40-goal season of his career. He’s the first Sabres player to have multiple 40-goal seasons in Bufalo since Thomas Vanek (’06-’07 and ’08-’09) and joins a list of notable players like Dave Andreychuk, the entire French Connection line, and Pat Lafontaine, to record multiple 40-goal seasons with this team.
Zucker had 14 goals last season combined between Arizona and Nashville. He’s now reached 50 points (20-30), which is his highest point total since the 2017-18 season and second-highest of his career. That year, he put up 64 points as a member of the Minesota Wild.
Plus 1: A Thrilling OT
This was one of the most thrilling overtimes that didn’t result in a goal. Each team registered four shots on goal in the extra frame, but the Sabres had a few high quality chances that could’ve put the game away. JJ Peterka, for one, had multiple opportunities. The Sabres dominated the first bit of overtime; then, at the very end, Tage Thompson nearly set up Ryan McLeod for the game-winner. A good all-around effort in the five minutes, even if the team did end up needing a shootout to snag the extra point.
That said…
Plus 1: Got the W
Jack Quinn’s shootout goal was a thing of beauty and was ultimately the game-deciding tally.
Jack Quinn shootout goal #Sabrehood #TBLightning pic.twitter.com/KpGyE14nQP
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) April 6, 2025
Quinn has been having himself a decent season. Alex Tuch, who saw his goal-scoring streak officially come to an end, also scored in the shootout to confirm the Sabres’ victory. Great to see the Sabres finally find ways to crack old friend Jonas Johansson, who at 6’5″ takes up *so* much space that it can be hard to beat him. The Sabres are now 4-1 in the shootout this season.
Final Thoughts
Nice to see Zemgus Girgensons make his return to Buffalo. The former 1st-round pick of the Sabres has just six points, including four assists, in 75 games for the Lightning this season. He was never the best in the blue & gold, but man, did he go through a lot as a member of this team.
On another note, nice to see AHL standout Noah Ostlund finally get a well-deserved call-up. The kid has earned his chance, though I’m not sure slotting him on the fourth line gives him the best opportunity to show what he can do. Ostlund played 8:37 and had one takeaway and two penalty minutes. We’ll have to see if he stays on the same fourth line tomorrow alongside Sam Lafferty and Beck Malenstyn, or if Lindy Ruff shakes up the lines at all.
P.S. Whenever the Sabres play Jonas Johansson, I can’t help but think of this Tweet from John Vogl, and then marvel at how Buffalo manages to make Johansson look like a star goalie. At least tonight they got the win!
Jonas Johansson is likely going to Colorado, according to @KevinWeekes.
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) March 19, 2021
I can say without hesitation that the Avs are getting the worst goalie I've seen during my 19 seasons covering the Sabres.
He doesn't stop pucks in practice or games. https://t.co/lFC8cy6Epl
Quick turnaround here, as the Sabres host the Bruins on Sunday at 6 p.m.