BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Sabres forward Tage Thompson became the latest U.S. hockey gold medal-winning Olympian to be honored at home in a ceremony on Tuesday night in which even former captain and Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel got a rare cheer in Buffalo.
Thompson scored three goals and added an assist in his Olympic debut at the Milan Cortina Games. He was honored at Buffalo’s first game at home since the Olympic break ended last week.
Thompson
was cheered upon being introduced as part of the starting lineup. And chants of “USA!” erupted from the sold-out crowd as the team showed Olympic highlights of Thompson on the video scoreboard.
“Obviously, I think Buffalo is a blue-collar town and I hope the medal meant a lot to them,” Thompson said a day earlier. “I’m very excited to be back in front of them playing, so. I’m looking forward to it to tomorrow for sure.”
Thompson was joined at center by U.S. teammates Eichel and Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin as well as Sabres massage therapist Brett Crompton, who held the same role for Team USA. The four posed for a photo with Crompton unfurling a U.S. flag.
The 28-year-old Thompson was joined by his wife, children and mother for a ceremonial opening faceoff with Eichel. Now in his fifth season in Vegas since forcing his trade out of Buffalo, Eichel drew a cheer upon taking the faceoff.
Once play began, Sabres fans quickly turned on Eichel, booing him each time he touched the puck as has been customary following six seasons in Buffalo. And Thompson got an even bigger cheer upon snapping in a shot from the right circle to put Buffalo up 3-0 six minutes into the second period.
“I don’t know what the plan is for tonight, but listen, I’m so proud of Tage, and he deserves all the recognition and all the support and love from the crowd,” Eichel said, earlier in the day.
Eichel and Hanifin will have to wait until Friday to be honored at home. That’s when the Golden Knights return from a five-game road trip to host Minnesota.
The Sabres also paid tribute to two members of the U.S. gold medal-winning women’s team, who have local connections. Forward Hayley Scamurra, who is from Buffalo, and defender Haley Winn, from nearby Rochester, New York, each addressed the crowd by video.
The Sabres had rally towels printed and placed on each seat before the game. They featured the initials “TNT,” representing Tage Nathaniel Thompson, and a nickname he’s picked up on team broadcasts.
Thompson was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and grew up in Connecticut.
The celebration for Thompson came as the Sabres are enjoying a remarkable turnaround to put themselves in position to snap an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought. Buffalo (35-19-6) entered the day in second place in the Atlantic Division standings and 24-5-2 in their past 31 outings.
Thompson is in his eighth season in Buffalo, where he gradually emerged as the team’s top scoring threat. Acquired in a trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly to St. Louis in July 2018, Thompson overcame injuries and needing to develop in the minors to blossom into a star.
His goal on Tuesday was Thompson's team-leading 33rd, and he's topped 29 or more in five straight seasons.
Eichel and Thompson's careers overlapped in Buffalo over three years.
"Eichs is one of the guys when I was first here that I looked up to," Thompson said of Eichel, who forced his departure from Buffalo over a dispute over how to treat a neck injury.
“Obviously unbelievable player and someone I always tried to emulate parts of my game after him, just being a big strong power forward,” he added. “So it was cool going to the Olympics and kind of going full circle playing with him there.”
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