BUFFALO — During their brief time together here, Sabres center Tage Thompson said he looked up to Jack Eichel.
Thompson, 28, is just a year younger than Eichel, who’s now starring for the Vegas Golden Knights. Still, in 2018-19, their only full season as teammates, Eichel was a budding superstar and the face of the franchise. Thompson, meanwhile, was a neophyte simply trying to stick in the NHL.
As a developing power forward, Thompson said he tried to emulate parts of his game after Eichel’s and watch him on and off the ice.
“So it was cool going to the Olympics and kind of going full circle playing with him there,” Thompson said following Monday’s practice.
Thompson and Eichel, of course, will forever be linked together after winning the gold medal last month at the Milano Cortina Games.
The Sabres honored four members of Team USA – Thompson, Eichel, Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin and Sabres massage therapist Brett Crompton – prior to Tuesday’s game against the Golden Knights.
As the four held an American flag, the capacity crowd in KeyBank Center roared and chanted, “USA, USA!”
Thompson and Eichel also faced off for a ceremonial puck drop.
When the game began, the crowd booed Eichel, who left town on unpleasant terms in 2021, every time he touched the puck.
Skating alongside Eichel in Italy was a special experience for Thompson, who converted one of his friend’s passes for a power-play goal.
“It was kind of cool playing with him, and just picking each other’s brains on different things and on the power play,” Thompson said. “But, yeah, it was definitely unique being back with him and sharing the same ice.”
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When Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund saw his captain, Rasmus Dahlin, down on the ice and the referee’s arm up, instinct took over.
“I thought it was something ugly,” Ostlund said of Brayden Point’s slash on Dahlin early in the second period of Saturday’s 6-2 road win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Ostlund, who did not see the slash, immediately went after Point, hoping to cross-check him.
They ended up dropping their gloves and nearly fighting.
“He stands up for his teammates,” Dahlin said. “You can’t ask for a better teammate (than) that. It’s special.”
While nothing major erupted – Ostlund wasn’t penalized – his quick actions illustrate the tight-knit group the Sabres have morphed into this season.
“It stresses we’re a pack; we’re all in this together,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “You go after my teammate, or if it looks like you’ve gone after my teammate, I’m going to be there. …
“In my eyes, we’ve got tighter and tighter as the year has gone, and we play harder and harder for each other.”
It’s no coincidence the Sabres have gotten better and better as the season has progressed
Barely a year ago, their tepid response after an illegal hit to the head concussed star center Tage Thompson forced them to cancel practice and air things out in a team meeting. They clearly learned from the embarrassing moment.
This season, one in which the Sabres appear poised to end their NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, instant retribution like Ostlund’s cross-check have been a constant.
Simply grabbing a guy, an action Ruff has long stressed, makes an impact. If it’s the wrong opponent, so be it. The intent was there.
“That’s something we want to have in our room, (where) everyone is accountable and takes care of each other,” Ostlund said.
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The Sabres scratched defenseman Jacob Bryson, forward Josh Dunne and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (all healthy).