BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres haven't had a 40-goal scorer since Jeff Skinner hit that mark in the 2018-2019 season.
With two games remaining, with Buffalo's season finale on Friday night hosting the Chicago Blackhawks, Tage Thompson is just three goals away from his 40th.
Thompson passed Jack Eichel's career-high 36 goals - from a shortened 2019-2020 season - in a win over the New York Islanders on Saturday.
The winger, turned center, by head coach Don Granato this season said he'd love to hit that benchmark, but he knows he needs to focus on the team's overall game first.
"It would be obviously an incredible achievement, I think, personally," Thompson said on Monday morning after the Sabres practice.
"It's hard not to think about it, but you try to block it out and focus on the team stuff first, and I think when you focus on the number, that's when you probably get snakebit, and chances will start not going in for you. You just kinda keep that team-first focus, and I think the goals will fall."
The Sabres' next game is Thursday night in Boston.
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