The Buffalo Sabres top line comprising Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, and Alex Tuch went off for a total of 14 points on Wednesday night.
We already knew how dangerous the Buffalo Sabres top line could be, given the 105 goals the team has scored, which, as of Thursday December 8th, paces the NHL. And we can give the top line a lot of credit here, as 46 of those goals have come from Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Jeff Skinner.
But you may not know that, at this point, Tage, Tuch, and Skinner are each on pace to score at least 82 points this year if they stay healthy and consistent. Tage (40 points), is currently fourth in the NHL behind only Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Jason Robertson. Skinner is tied for 19th with 31 points, and Tuch isn’t too far behind with 28.
Do the math, and Tage is on pace for 126. Skinner will score 98 if he keeps things rolling, and Tuch will hit 88. Last season, Tage paced this team with 68 points, so given the fact he may threaten to double that total speaks dividends on how far he has come in such a short time.
Buffalo Sabres first line among the NHL’s most high-octane
Four times in his career, Skinner notched a career high of 63 points, including last season. When the Sabres signed him to a massive extension a few years back, it raised some eyebrows. Then Skinner turned around and gave them two abysmal seasons, which naturally caused the NHL universe to claim his contract was one of the worst in NHL history.
While things can still change, that contract isn’t looking so bad at the moment. And finally, there is the local boy in Tuch. And while he hasn’t scored as often as Skinner and Tage, Tuch has been a force on the forecheck, which has continually created opportunities not only for his line, but also defenseman Rasmus Dahlin when they are on the ice together.
Overall, the Buffalo Sabres first line has been fun to watch not only for fans in the Queen City, but for the NHL universe as a whole. And you can expect that output to continue as it seems like the Sabres are only getting hotter as the month of December wears on.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
Article Source: Observations: Tage Thompson ties Sabres record with 5 goals on ‘very special night’ by Lance Lysowski
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