When Thompson made it 6-0 after 16:40 of the first period, off an assist by Rasmus Dahlin as the team played five on three, it was his fourth goal of the night.
It was the second-fastest time any player had scored four goals in a game since Joe Malone did it after 8:45 a.m. for the Hamilton Tigers on February 23, 1923. Thompson is one of four players to score four goals in the first period in NHL history.
Once before in Buffalo history has a player scored five goals.
It was Dave Andreychuk who did it on February 6, 1986.
- He is a goalscorer and did his thing tonight.
It's a big game from him and it's a big game from him every time he's on the ice, says Rasmus Dahlin, who got three points according to the NHL.
In his 26 years in the league, Columbus coach Brad Larsen has never experienced anything like this.
- It stank about us the whole match and you can definitely see that in the goal score.
It was such an embarrassing game from our side, says Columbus' Finn Patrik Laine.