Tage Thompson’s 5-goal outing showcases his sizeable ability

By JOHN WAWROW
AP Hockey Writer

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson has gone from being an oversized afterthought on the Buffalo Sabres roster to becoming one of the NHL’s breakout stars. The 6-foot-6 Thompson scored five times in Buffalo’s 9-4 win over Columbus. He has now scored 59 goals and 108 points in his past 104 games after managing just 18 goals and 35 points in his first 145. The jump in production coincides with coach Don Granato’s decision to shift Thompson from a secondary winger role to centering one of Buffalo’s top lines.