BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — Tage Thompson recorded a hat trick and added two assists Thursday night, leading the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center. A crowd of 19,070 saw the Sabres score twice in the third period to pull away. Thompson, who factored in on all but one Buffalo goal, scored the game-winner at 15:12 of the third and added an empty-netter. Josh Doan, Alex Tuch and Thompson scored for Buffalo, which also got two assists from Noah Ostlund. For Montreal, Ivan Demidov, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki found the net. The Sabres improved to 26-20-0, while the Canadiens fell to 26-22-0. The teams meet again in Montreal on Jan. 22.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — Tage Thompson recorded a hat trick and added two assists, powering the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in a fast-paced NHL contest Thursday night at KeyBank Center. Thompson, the Sabres’ towering center from Phoenix, Arizona, was the dominant force on the ice, factoring in on four of Buffalo’s five goals before a crowd of 19,070. His five-point night spearheaded a critical third-period push that broke a 3-3 deadlock and secured the win for the home team. The game’s pivotal sequence began early in the third period with the score tied. Montreal’s Phillip Danault was sent off for tripping at the 37-second mark, handing Buffalo a crucial power play. The Sabres’ top unit, with Thompson at the helm, needed just over a minute to capitalize. Stationed in the left circle, Thompson took a feed from Josh Doan and snapped a wrist shot past Montreal goaltender Jacob Fowler at the 15:12 mark of the final frame, restoring Buffalo’s lead at 4-3. Thompson wasn’t finished. With the Canadiens pressing for an equalizer and Fowler pulled for an extra attacker in the final minutes, Thompson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 54:20, completing his hat trick and providing the final margin. The empty-netter was assisted by Zach Benson, who fed Thompson in the neutral zone for the long-range finish. The contest featured a back-and-forth first period that set the tone. Buffalo struck first when Josh Doan, the rookie from Scottsdale, Arizona, converted a wrist shot off assists from Thompson and Noah Ostlund at 10:30. Montreal responded with a pair of power-play goals to seize the lead. With Zach Benson in the box for slashing, Russian rookie Ivan Demidov hammered a slap shot past Sabres netminder Colten Ellis at 14:20, assisted by Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki. Just over a minute later, Cole Caufield continued his hot hand, wiring a wrist shot for his 22nd goal of the season at 3:11, with Noah Dobson earning the helper. Buffalo answered before the period ended, however. With Montreal’s Hutson serving a high-sticking minor, Thompson blasted his first of the night on the man-advantage at 4:05, with Ostlund and Jason Zucker assisting, to knot the score at 2-2 heading into the intermission. The second period saw each team add one more. Buffalo’s Alex Tuch gave his team a 3-2 lead at 16:55, finishing a play set up by Thompson and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Montreal’s power play, which operated at a sharp 2-for-4 on the night, answered once more. With Buffalo’s Jacob Bryson off for holding, the Canadiens’ captain Nick Suzuki found a seam and beat Ellis with a wrist shot at 6:05, assisted by Hutson and Caufield, tying the game at 3-3 and setting the stage for Thompson’s third-period heroics. Beyond Thompson’s standout performance, the Sabres received multi-point nights from Ostlund (two assists), Doan (one goal, one assist), and Tuch (one goal). For Montreal, Suzuki and Caufield each posted a goal and an assist, while Demidov added a goal. Ellis made 32 saves to earn the win for Buffalo, while Fowler stopped 34 shots in the loss. The victory improved Buffalo’s record to 26-20-0, solidifying their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Sabres have now won four of their last five games. Montreal, which entered on a 1-1-0 split in a back-to-back set after an overtime loss in Washington on Tuesday, fell to 26-22-0. The game’s outcome aligned with the projection from National Statistical’s game simulator, which had forecast a 5-3 Buffalo victory. The Sabres were also pregame favorites with a -1.5 spread. The total of eight goals surpassed the over/under line of 6.5. The two teams will meet again in just one week’s time, completing a home-and-home series at Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday, Jan. 22. Before that, the Sabres host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, while the Canadiens travel to face the Ottawa Senators the same night.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — Two Atlantic Division teams trending in opposite directions will clash when the Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night at KeyBank Center. The Sabres (24-20) have won seven of their last 10 games and are looking to build momentum after a 4-3 loss to Florida on Monday snapped a three-game win streak. Buffalo’s offense has been potent during this stretch, scoring four or more goals in six of those contests. Forward Zach Benson has been a key contributor, recording three goals and two assists in his last 10 games. His continued emergence adds depth to a lineup featuring consistent scorers like Tage Thompson. Montreal (26-21), meanwhile, has stumbled after a strong start to the new year, losing three of its last four. The Canadiens are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Washington on Tuesday, a game in which goaltender Samuel Montembeault kept them competitive with 40 saves. Montembeault has been a workhorse and a standout for Montreal, posting a 3-1-0 record with a .934 save percentage in his last four starts prior to the Washington game. His performance will be critical against Buffalo’s surging attack. The teams have met once this season, with Montreal securing a 4-2 home victory on Oct. 20. The schedule dictates a quick rematch, as the clubs will face each other again in Montreal next Thursday, Jan. 22. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the Sabres are projected to win with a final score of 5-3. The model likely favors Buffalo’s recent high-scoring form and home-ice advantage. A victory would push the Sabres closer to the Canadiens in the tightly contested Eastern Conference playoff race. Montreal aims to stabilize its game and recapture the form that produced a six-goal outburst against Florida just last week. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.