OTTAWA – Buffalo Sabers center Tage Thompson, who is on pace for the franchise’s highest-scoring season since 1993, was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Month for December by the league on Sunday.
Thompson was listed behind two superstars of the game as Washington’s Alex Ovechkin was named the First Star and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid was chosen as Second Star.
Craig Anderson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are putting up the numbers during the Sabres’ winning streak.
Thompson finished tied for second in the league in goals for the month with Ovechkin at 13, one behind McDavid. He added nine assists for 22 points in 11 games as Buffalo went 8-2-1. He was twice named Second Star of the Week.
Thompson had points in nine of the 11 games, highlighted by his five-goal, six-point outburst Dec. 7 in Columbus. He had a league-high seven power-play goals and six multi-point games.
For the season, Thompson is second in the NHL to McDavid in goals (27) and fifth in points (51).
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Ovechkin scored his 801st and 802nd career goals on Dec. 23 vs. Winnipeg to take over second place all time from Gordie Howe as the Capitals went 11-2-2. The Sabers met Ovechkin for the first time this year Tuesday night in Washington.
McDavid went 14-17-31 to become the first Edmonton player with 30+ points in a month since Wayne Gretzky did it in March, 1988. He also became the fastest NHL player since 1996 to reach 70 points. McDavid leads the league in goals (32) and points (72) and had a 17-game point streak snapped in Saturday’s loss to Winnipeg.
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