Sabers beat Predators for 6-game winning streak

Tage Thompson extended his career-high scoring streak to 10 games as the Buffalo Sabers won their sixth straight game with a 3-1 victory over the Nashville Predators.

Thompson has six goals and five assists in back-to-back seasons.

Jason Ducker and Josh Doan also scored for the Sabers, who opened a five-game homestand in the Atlantic Division to keep pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who host Sunday. Alex Lyon recorded 23 saves.

Zachary L’Heureux scored his first goal of the season for the Predators, who have lost four of five games and are starting a five-game road swing. Matthew Wood also scored and Juuse Saros made 21 saves.

Forward Sam Carrick, acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on Friday, played 8 minutes, 21 seconds and made one shot in his Buffalo debut.

The Predators outshot the Sabers 6-2 in a scoreless first period, before L’Heureux made it 1-0 at 1:17 of the second period. Jonathan Marchessault took the puck to the corner on a rush and fed L’Heureux, who had just come off the bench and fired a wrist shot past Lyon from the left circle.

It was Marchessault’s 300th NHL assist.

Thompson tied the score at 1-1 at 12:39 with his 34th goal of the season. After Thompson forced a turnover in Nashville territory, he passed to Alex Tuch, looped around the back of the net and scored on a one-timer from the right circle on Tuch’s return pass.

Zucker made it 2-1 at 14:17 when he knocked a loose puck onto the goal line behind Sarros after Jack Quinn’s shot from the slot.

Doan increased the lead to 3-1 just 16 seconds into the third quarter. He forced a turnover in the Nashville end, and when Josh Norris got the puck in the corner, Doan went to the net and scored with a wrist shot off Norris’ pass.

Wood put the Predators up 3-2 at 16:08 of the third period, scoring on a tip-in after Roman Josi’s power play shot.

–Field level media