Buffalo Sabres: How significant was Tage Thompson’s historic night?

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson scored the game-winning goal to give the Buffalo Sabres a huge win following an emotional 24 hours. 

The number 3 is one of the most iconic numbers in sports. And over the last 36 hours, the number’s legendary status continued to grow following Damar Hamlin’s injury on Monday Night Football, with the sports world once again rallying around the number.

So for Tage Thompson to sink the game-winner last night to complete a hat trick (3 goals) to cap off a 3 game road trip, on the 3rd day of 202(3), at exactly the 3 minute mark, during the 3 and 3 portion of overtime, that alone gave me and the rest of the sports world chills. It was also Tage’s 3rd hat trick of the year.

To think about the odds of the above happening, they would have been around slim to none, with slim close to leaving town. How significant was this? In the eyes of every sports fan, when they realize the numbers listed above associated with Tage’s night, there aren’t words or phrases available to express its significance.

Buffalo Sabres: Tage Thompson’s night more significant than many think

In many ways, it reminded me of the 2001 NASCAR Cup Series, when the legendary Dale Earnhardt tragically died in the last lap of the Daytona 500. NASCAR fan or not, you probably know Earnhardt drove the #3 car for close to two decades.

A young driver named Kevin Harvick replaced Earnhardt, and won the race at Atlanta just 3 weeks following the event in this 3rd ever NASCAR Cup Series start. That race also occurred in March, the 3rd month of the year.

It was a race I remember watching, and to this day, vividly remember the scene following Harvick’s win. I saw the mixture of emotions all over the place in the grandstand, in pit road, and among the drivers themselves as Harvick embarked on a victory lap, holding 3 fingers in the air.

And it was an identical vibe last night after Tage sunk his 3rd goal and secured the win for the Buffalo Sabres. A team who has risen for their community time and again following recent tragedies over the past eight months.

Whether or not this team contends for the Stanley Cup or even the playoffs is irrelevant. What is relevant? The fact that the City of Buffalo can turn to the Blue and Gold when the unthinkable and unimaginable occurs. Because like I said last night, the Sabres have been and continue to be a beacon of light in otherwise the darkest times.

Article Source: Another symbolic hat trick for Sabres, Tage Thompson scores 30th goal in OT win by Jonah Bronstein

Want your voice heard? Join the Sabre Noise team!

Write for us!