A dynamic stretch in which Sabres center Tage Thompson scored three goals and an NHL-high nine points in four games has earned him First Star honors for the week ending Sunday.
Thompson, 28, enjoyed one of the best outings of his career in Thursday’s 5-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens, scoring his ninth career hat trick and hitting the five-point mark for the third time.
The American registered his 200th career goal and his 22nd game-winning score that night.
Thompson also recorded an assist in last Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, two assists in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers and an assist in Saturday afternoon’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (two goals and seven points) and Utah Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka (three wins, 1.67 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage) were named the second and third stars, respectively.