Story Summary
Buffalo Sabres centre Tage Thompson has been named the NHL’s First Star for the week ending 1 November after leading the League with five goals and eight points across three games. Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry took Second Star honours and Anaheim Ducks centre Leo Carlsson was named Third Star.
Thompson’s 5-3-8 week carried Buffalo through a perfect three-game trip through California. The 29-year-old assisted on an insurance goal in a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks, scored a natural hat trick in a five-point showing against Anaheim, then supplied both Buffalo goals in a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
The Sabres centre now shares sixth in the NHL with 10 goals and leads Buffalo with 17 points in 14 games. The award also arrives as Thompson continues to climb the club’s all-time scoring lists, with his 223 goals for Buffalo placing him ninth in franchise history.
Key Facts
- Tage Thompson was named the NHL’s First Star for the week ending 1 November after recording five goals and eight points in three games for Buffalo.
- Thompson helped the Sabres complete a perfect California road trip and improve their away record to 4-1-3.
- Thompson recorded his 10th career hat trick, his third natural hat trick and his fourth career five-point game in Buffalo’s 7-6 win over Anaheim on 29 October.
- Thompson scored twice, including his 26th career game-winner, in Buffalo’s 3-2 victory over Los Angeles on 31 October.
- Through 14 games, Thompson has 10 goals and 17 points for the Sabres.
- Thompson’s 223 goals since joining Buffalo rank ninth in Sabres history, behind Miroslav Satan’s 224 and ahead of Rene Robert’s 222.
- Tristan Jarry earned Second Star after going 2-0-1 with a 0.97 goals-against average, a.957 save percentage and consecutive shutouts for Edmonton.
- Leo Carlsson earned Third Star after posting one goal and seven assists in three games for Anaheim.
IHM Discussion
Thompson’s week was not built around one productive night alone. He made an impact in each stop of a road trip that demanded different things from Buffalo: an assist in the win over San Jose, a five-point eruption against Anaheim and a two-goal finish in Los Angeles.
The Anaheim performance supplied the obvious headline. A natural hat trick and five points are rare enough on their own, and they came in a 7-6 game that required Buffalo to keep finding offence. Yet the two goals against Los Angeles gave the week a different kind of substance, particularly with the second standing as the deciding goal.
His wider season production gives the award further weight. Ten goals in 14 contests has Thompson among the League’s leading scorers, while his 17 points set the pace within the Sabres. Buffalo’s 7-4-3 record and 17 points have been supported by a player who is converting major scoring opportunities while also continuing to create for others.
Jarry’s second-star selection reflects a sharply contrasting route to the honours. He allowed three goals across three appearances, including consecutive shutouts against Calgary and the New York Islanders, as Edmonton moved into first place in the Western Conference. Carlsson, meanwhile, produced seven assists in three games and has multiple points in each of his past four appearances for Anaheim.
Why It Matters
For Buffalo, Thompson’s output is directly connected to a successful stretch away from home. The Sabres won all three California games, and Thompson featured prominently in the scoring at every stop. His ability to produce goals and assists gives Buffalo a central offensive presence as the club builds on a 7-4-3 start.
The historical context also underlines the scale of Thompson’s Buffalo career. His 10 hat tricks are surpassed in franchise history only by Rick Martin and Gilbert Perreault, while his 223 goals since arriving in 2018 have moved him between Rene Robert and Miroslav Satan on the club list. Those are significant markers for a player still only 29.
The same weekly award also highlights strong individual starts elsewhere. Jarry has helped Edmonton take points in six of seven starts, while Carlsson’s 17 assists trail only Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard across the League.
Mini Q&A
Why was Tage Thompson named the NHL’s First Star?
Thompson led the NHL with five goals and eight points in three games, helping Buffalo sweep its three-game California road trip.
What did Thompson do against Anaheim?
He scored a natural hat trick and added two assists for five points in Buffalo’s 7-6 win on 29 October.
Who were the other NHL Three Stars?
Edmonton goaltender Tristan Jarry was named Second Star and Anaheim centre Leo Carlsson received Third Star honours.
Coach Mark Comment
The two goals in Los Angeles are the part of Thompson’s week that should not get lost behind the hat trick. A 7-6 game can turn every offensive touch into a headline, but a 3-2 finish asks a scorer to make one or two chances count.
Thompson did exactly that, with his second goal becoming his 26th career winner. That is a valuable shape to a three-game run: he could take over a high-scoring night, then still provide the decisive finishing touch when the margin was tight.
IHM Final View
Thompson’s First Star award captures a complete week rather than a single outburst. He drove Buffalo’s unbeaten California trip with scoring, playmaking and a decisive finish, while extending a season in which he leads the Sabres in points. Jarry and Carlsson earned their places alongside him through excellent weeks of their own, but Thompson’s five goals made him the standout.