Buffalo Sabres: Revisiting the Thompson line’s December performance
By Sion Fawkes
The Thompson line has been the lifeblood of the Buffalo Sabres all season, and their performance in December has been remarkable.
About a week ago, I stated that the Thompson line has evolved into one of the NHL’s best. Fast-forward to following their big win over the Vegas Golden Knights, and it is no question that Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, and Alex Tuch have solidified that identity.
The Sabres “only” scored three goals last night, and two of them came from Skinner and Tage. Tuch logged an assist on Skinner’s goal that put the Sabres up 1-0 early in the second period.
So how good has this line been in December? Although they look remarkable on the ice, their numbers are even better on paper.
Thompson line working wonders for the Buffalo Sabres
Throughout December, the Thompson line has combined for 49 points, 24 goals, and 25 assists. Here are their numbers when broken down individually:
- Tage Thompson: 21 points, 12 goals, 9 assists
- Jeff Skinner:15 points, 7 goals, 8 assists
- Alex Tuch: 13 points, 5 goals, 8 assists
And if you think that’s remarkable, check out their numbers from October 13th to December 19th:
- Tage Thompson: 50 points, 26 goals, 24 assists
- Jeff Skinner: 36 points, 16 goals, 20 assists
- Alex Tuch: 35 points, 15 goals, 20 assists
These numbers are beyond extraordinary, especially when you factor in where this trio was last season. Tage was up and coming, though no one could have predicted All-Star numbers just 365 days later. Skinner was still looking to prove he could even remotely live up to his big contract. And Tuch was on the mend.
Tage has been especially impressive, as his 26-goal effort puts him second in the NHL and two goals behind Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. Skinner missed three games because of a suspension, and he seems as though he never missed a beat.
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Tuch, who has predominantly played on the first line since being inserted into the Buffalo Sabres lineup late last year, once again proved to the Vegas Golden Knights that he is so much more than a middle six player. It will be interesting to see what this trio can do as we approach the season’s halfway mark.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
Article Source: Observations: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is an ace again as Sabres hold off Vegas to sweep road trip by Mike Harrington
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