“He Was A Dog Tonight” | Tage Thompson After Buffalo Sabres Overtime Win In Detroit

“He Was A Dog Tonight” | Tage Thompson After Buffalo Sabres Overtime Win In Detroit

Second period ended, came in 4-2. What was your thought process heading into the third? Yeah, I mean, um, thought it was a real tight first. Um, you know, I think we kind of got a little spacey there to start the second. Um, a four on four goal was my fault against uh let walk past me and dig ourselves a hole and uh obviously feel responsible for that and um just tried to make sure it didn’t cost us a game. Um, you wanted to get a couple before the period ended or at least get one just so we are getting a little momentum getting nice shifted and a real good job by Quinny helping off the draw and um simple, you know, going to net donor gets in front there. Um, I think that gets a little a little bit of momentum coming into the period there and um able to reset and I think in the third we were just desperate. um you know, we’ve been losing a lot of games and uh it’s frustrating and um we know no one’s going to sit there and feel sorry for us and um I think we just tried to impose our will there and knew that uh if we we got one early um you know, put them on their heels a little bit and we can get some momentum rolling and we did. So um you know, obviously it’s not just one guy, it’s everyone in the room pulling the rope the same direction. Ellie makes some huge saves for us to keep it keep it tight and keep the momentum in our favor and um you know take it overtime and end up getting the the job done and Sammy coming through with us. It would have been real easy for you guys the way things have gone to just feel sorry for yourselves just go home 0 and four in the trip. What was the big reason you guys were able to impose your will? How did you guys mentally get over that hump and start playing the way you can? Yeah, I think that’s all it is is just uh it’s an attitude. It’s got to be everybody in the room. It can’t be one or two guys. So, um I think in between periods, we we all just said enough’s enough. And um you know, it’s but like I said, it can’t just be words. It’s got to be actions out there. And I think everyone was determined to to get the job done. Um I think uh a lot of times when you get yourselves into situations like that where we’ve been chasing games, it’s easy to try to be a hero and do it all on your own. I think um when you just trust uh the guys that are lining up next to you that they’re going to do their job and just focus on what you have to do. don’t make uh you know your plate too big. Um it simplifies your game and takes a lot of the weight off you and um you know it’s it’s easy hockey when you’re doing that. It’s hard work but it’s easy hockey cuz you know everyone’s pulling the same direction. In overtime you don’t see many physical plays like you’re still there next to the net. Did you see something in him that thought maybe you could just rip this puck away from him? I mean just like I said I think it was just desperation. Um, you know, we’ve been in a lot of overtime games and been on the other side of it and uh a loose puck there and um, you know, if I get that puck, then we got a really good look and I figured I’d look off uh, look off dolls and go to Sammy. He’s got the hot stick. So, came through. We saw Raasmus this morning. We saw the mood he was in. He felt really good. He said things went really well. How much were you inspired by him today just seeing him and being around him? Yeah, I think it means a lot. I mean, obviously like everyone here in the room knows how much hockey means to him. Um, but there’s things that are bigger outside of hockey and um, you know, his personal life is is that and um, I don’t want to speak on, you know, what’s going on with him and and his situation back home, but it’s it’s nice for him to be able to go back and kind of get a break from hockey mentally and focus on what’s most important. And, um, you know, spoke to him this morning and said he was excited to be back. And I think you could just sense that. Um, misses the game, misses the guys. But, um, yeah, it’s a it’s a big loss when when our captain and our our best players out of the lineup. So, um, like I said, um, you know, he’s an impact player for us and, um, I don’t think it’s a coincidence we got the job done tonight with them. How much of an opportunity do do you guys have now? You go home for the next four and, you know, this has been going badly for a while here, but, you get one win and it could conceivably kick you the other way. Yeah, just one day at a time. Um, just don’t look too far ahead. Um, and don’t look too far behind either. Um, obviously we’ve had a tough stretch, but uh, you know, every every day you wake up, it’s a new a new day to get better and a new challenge and new opportunity. So, it’s just how you look at it, how you approach the day. And, um, we got a a good opportunity ahead of us and we got a win under our belt today. And, um, we’ll just take it day day by day, see how tomorrow goes.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson spoke with the media after the team’s overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings on November 15, 2025. Thompson made the play that eventually resulted in Mattis Samuelsson’s overtime winner. He talked about the team’s comeback mindset, and more.

Subscribe to the Buffalo Sabres YT Channel: https://bit.ly/2G1G8eT
For More Sabres Action: https://bufsabres.co/2XAYg5m

#BuffaloSabres #Sabres #NHL

For more Sabres action: Sabres.com
Follow us on X: twitter.com/BuffaloSabres
Follow us on TikTok: https://bufsabres.co/TikTok
Follow us on Instagram: Instagram.com/buffalosabres
Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/buffalosabres