Tage Thompson's eye-popping season gained a new highlight in Columbus on Wednesday night.
The Sabres center erupted for four goals in the first period against the Blue Jackets, tying an all-time NHL record for most goals in one period. Thompson added an assist, powering Buffalo to a quick 6-0 lead. He secured a hat trick less than 13 minutes into the period, his second of the season.
Tage Thompson's first period tonight:
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) December 8, 2022
•5:14 time on ice
•4 goals
•1 assist
•7 shots on goal
Thompson wasn't done there. He added a fifth goal in the second period to help the Sabres pile on. Buffalo would win 9-4.
Tage Thompson has 5 goals and it's the 2nd period. This guy is a freak pic.twitter.com/6WXfH4aK0H
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) December 8, 2022
Only 17 players had ever scored four goals in a period entering Wednesday, and only one had done so since 2000. Patrick Marleau recorded a four-goal period in January 2017.
Before Marleau, the most recent player to score four goals in a period was Mario Lemieux in 1997.
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Thompson's fifth goal made him the sixth player to record a five-goal game this century, though he's already the second in this calendar year. San Jose's Timo Meier scored five goals against the Kings in January.
Tage Thompson has more goals tonight than 73% of players in the league have goals this season.
— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) December 8, 2022
There have been two 6-point games in the NHL this season. The @BuffaloSabres' Tage Thompson has both of them (October 31 and tonight).
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) December 8, 2022
He's the first player in NHL history to have the first two 6-point games of a given season.
While Thompson had the type of performance most players dream of, he kept his night in perspective in postgame comments.
Tage Thompson following his 5-goal performance: "You can’t be satisfied. Obviously, it’s a great achievement. You want to be happy for yourself. But at the same time, there’s more to do. We’re not where we want to be as a team and it’s my job to help us get there."
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) December 8, 2022
Thompson was a late bloomer after landing in Buffalo as part of the 2018 Ryan O'Reilly trade. The former Blues prospect broke out with 68 points on 38 goals and 30 assists last season, and he's now up to 40 points on 21 goals and 19 assists through only 26 games this season.
Only two players - Jason Robertson and Connor McDavid - have more goals than Thompson this season.
Most goals scored in an NHL game
That historical achievement belongs to Joe Malone of the Quebec Bulldogs, a record that spans over 100 years. That feat was accomplished all the way back on January 31, 1920.