Sabres Celebrate Tage Thompson's Olympic Gold Medal

Teammates and fans in Buffalo enthusiastically supported the U.S. men's hockey team's victory at the Winter Olympics.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 3:10am

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The Buffalo Sabres organization and fans celebrated Tage Thompson's gold medal win with the U.S. men's hockey team at the Winter Olympics. The team pushed back their practice schedule to watch the gold medal game, where Jack Hughes scored the winning goal in overtime to defeat Canada 2-1. Sabres players like Alex Tuch expressed their pride and excitement for Thompson's performance on the international stage.

Why it matters

Thompson's gold medal win is a source of pride for the Sabres franchise and their fanbase, highlighting the team's talent development and the city's passion for hockey. The Sabres' support for their player competing in the Olympics demonstrates the close-knit nature of the organization and its commitment to its players.

The details

The Sabres rearranged their practice schedule on Sunday to allow the team to watch the gold medal game between the U.S. and Canada. After Jack Hughes scored the winning goal just 1 minute and 41 seconds into overtime, the Sabres players and staff erupted in celebration at Harborcenter, the team's practice facility. Alex Tuch, who was also a candidate for the U.S. Olympic team, praised Thompson's performance and expressed his pride in the team's victory.

  • The U.S. men's hockey team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime on Sunday, February 23, 2026 to win the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
  • The Sabres pushed back their scheduled practice on Sunday morning so the team could watch the gold medal game.

The players

Tage Thompson

A forward for the Buffalo Sabres who won a gold medal playing for the U.S. men's hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

Jack Hughes

A 24-year-old center for the New Jersey Devils who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give the U.S. men's hockey team the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Alex Tuch

A forward for the Buffalo Sabres who was also a candidate for the U.S. Olympic hockey team and expressed his pride in Tage Thompson's gold medal performance.

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What they’re saying

“For being involved in one of the greatest tournaments, I thought Tage handled himself and represented our team really well and played well.”

— Lindy Ruff, Sabres Head Coach (WGRZ)

“Such a crazy game. See the puck go in, and then we actually had to run right over to practice there, but it was awesome. USA winning, it was really special. I'm really happy for those guys. So happy and proud of Tage. I thought he was awesome over there and played really well today. I'm just ... that was awesome.”

— Alex Tuch, Sabres Forward (WGRZ)

What’s next

The Sabres are expected to hold a special celebration for Tage Thompson and the rest of the U.S. men's hockey team when they return to Buffalo.

The takeaway

Tage Thompson's gold medal win at the Winter Olympics has brought immense pride to the Buffalo Sabres organization and its passionate fanbase, showcasing the team's talent development and the city's deep connection to hockey. The Sabres' support for their player competing on the international stage underscores the tight-knit nature of the franchise and its commitment to its players.