By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | 30 October 2026
Final score: Sabres 7, Ducks 6.
Tage Thompson struck for a hat-trick and five points as the Buffalo Sabres overturned an early two-goal deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 7-6 in a wild contest on 30 October. Buffalo built a four-goal third-period lead, then had to withstand a furious late Anaheim response that fell one goal short.
Game Story
Anaheim came flying out of the blocks. Mikael Granlund opened the scoring at 1:57 of the first period, with Jackson LaCombe and Leo Carlsson assisting, and Cutter Gauthier made it 2-0 less than a minute later. Buffalo answered through Tyson Kozak at 10:03, only for Roger McQueen to restore the Ducks’ two-goal edge 35 seconds later.
The game changed shape quickly. Noah Ostlund scored for Buffalo at 11:39, and Thompson levelled at 3-3 at 15:32, assisted by Zach Benson and Peyton Krebs. The Sabres then took control late in the second period. Thompson put them ahead at 18:36 before completing his hat-trick just 15 seconds later, converting with Rasmus Dahlin and Krebs on the assists.
Buffalo carried that 5-3 advantage into the third and extended it at 1:57 when Jack Quinn scored, assisted by Thompson and Dahlin. Benson added a seventh at 6:37, seemingly giving the Sabres comfortable room.
Anaheim did not let the game drift away. Gauthier scored his second at 7:26, Judd Caulfield assisted Tristan Luneau at 18:52, and Beckett Sennecke made it 7-6 with 31 seconds remaining. The Ducks had turned a four-goal deficit into a one-goal game in the closing minutes, but Buffalo saw out the final seconds.
Turning Point
Thompson’s two goals in 15 seconds at the end of the second period broke a 3-3 tie and gave Buffalo a 5-3 lead heading into the interval. His goal at 18:36 put the Sabres ahead for the first time, and the next one at 18:51 created the separation that survived Anaheim’s late rally.
Standout Performers
Thompson was the defining figure, recording three goals and two assists in 17:49 of ice time. Benson supported him with a goal and two assists, while Krebs supplied three assists, including helpers on each of Thompson’s second-period goals. For Anaheim, Carlsson posted three assists and Gauthier scored twice. LaCombe also made a substantial contribution from the blue line with two assists in 29:36.
Tactical Observations
This was a game of sharp swings rather than prolonged control. Anaheim scored three times in the first 10:38, but Buffalo recovered through a quick sequence of responses and did its decisive work late in the second period. The Sabres’ seven goals came on 31 shots, while Anaheim produced six from 35. Buffalo netminder Colten Ellis made 29 saves, and that workload mattered once the Ducks found their late push. Anaheim’s final three goals showed that its offence continued to create pressure, but the earlier 7-3 deficit left too little time to complete the recovery.
Coach Mark Comment
The 15 seconds between Thompson’s second and third goals are the kind of spell that can sit heavily with a bench. At 3-3, Anaheim still had a clean game in front of it. By the next stoppage, it was chasing two. There is no elaborate fix in that moment, just a need for the players coming over the boards to slow the game down and make the next simple play. Buffalo had earned momentum, but Anaheim’s later goals showed why those brief bursts have to be contained before they become the whole night.
What It Means
Buffalo left Anaheim with a one-goal victory after recovering from 2-0 down, powered by Thompson’s five-point night and a seven-goal response. The Ducks’ three-goal late rally gave their own leading scorers meaningful returns, but not the equaliser.
What Comes Next
For Buffalo, the immediate question is how to carry the scoring rhythm of its second and early-third-period surge into the next outing. Anaheim will look at a six-goal offensive night and the narrow margin, while needing to address the sequence that turned a tied game into a two-goal deficit.