BUFFALO, N.Y. — Hats rained down on the ice at KeyBank Center on Saturday, when Sabres center Tage Thomspon completed a hat trick and tied the game up with the Colorado Avalanche, but the Avs left Buffalo with a 5-3 win.
"You grow up wanting to play in the NHL, and those are like little dreams you have. ... It's a cool feeling," Thompson said about his hat trick after the game.
"You show up to the rink just trying to get better every day ... and I think the results will follow," he said. "Playing with guys that are really good skill players ... they start to go in for you."
Thompson scored his first goal just 2 minutes, 50 seconds into the game to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead before Nathan MacKinnon tied it up for the Avalanche just 45 seconds later.
J.T. Compher gave Colorado the lead midway through the first period, 2-1, but Thompson answered again.
Nazem Kadri ended three quick scores for the two teams in the first, and the Avalanche led it 3-2 until Thompson tied the game again with his hat trick goal in the second.
The 3-3 score would carry into the third when Alex Newhook got behind Dustin Tokarski for the game-winning goal. Mikko Rantanen added an empty netter with less than a minute to go for the Avalanche to seal it.
Tokarski made 31 saves and allowed four goals. Jeff Skinner had two assists on Thompson's first two goals.
The Sabres will now go back-to-back and start a five-game road trip in Columbus, facing the Blue Jackets Sunday at 6 p.m.