BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Tage Thompson had a hat trick, Jason Zucker scored the go-ahead goal early in the the third period and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 6-3 on Sunday night for their fourth straight victory.
Thompson extended his scoring streak to four games with his first goal in the second period after the Bruins took an early 2-0 lead. Thompson scored again on a breakaway early in the third period, and got his 43rd goal of the season into the empty net in the final minute.
Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin each had a goal and an assist. Peyton Krebs and Bowen Byram each had two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 18 saves.
David Pastrnak assisted on all three goals for Boston, and Elias Lindholm got his 600th NHL point with a goal in the first period. Morgan Geekie and Casey Mittelstadt also scored. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 shots.
Bruins: Remained in last place in the Atlantic Division with their 11th loss in 12 games. Boston snapped a 10-game winless skid with a 5-1 victory over Carolina on Saturday night to avoid setting a dubious franchise record.
Sabres: Have staved off playoff elimination with wins in seven of eight games. Buffalo’s next loss will extend the longest postseason drought in NHL history to 14 seasons.
Zucker’s shot from the top of the left circle hit Korpisalo’s glove and fluttered over the goaltender’s head and into the net to put the Sabres ahead 4-3 at 1:59 into the third period.
Thompson has eight career hat tricks, and two this season — both against Boston.
Both teams play Tuesday night. The Bruins are at New Jersey, and the Sabers host Carolina.
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Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal against the Ottawa Senators during first period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)
HOUSTON (AP) — A fan grabbed the ball out of Mike Trout's glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands Saturday night to make what appeared to be a great catch against the Houston Astros.
Trout raced into the right-field corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning of the Angels' 4-1 win, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands to make the grab. But a fan wearing an Astros jersey was also reaching for the ball at the same time.
The ball appeared to simultaneously glance off the fan's hand while Trout made the catch. The fan immediately snatched the ball from Trout's glove with his left hand.
Trout gestured emphatically to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. The fan then looked as if he was trying to give the ball back to Trout, raising both arms while holding the ball in his right hand.
“I jumped in, it was in my glove and the guy just literally took it out,” Trout said after the game. “He was really apologetic. I learn new things every single day. Once I go into the stands, it’s free game. Being in center field is a little different because I don’t really get that play.”
Trout, who hit a two-run single in the first, moved from center field to right field this season to reduce wear and tear on his body and help him stay on the field.
First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch. Angels manager Ron Washington came out to discuss the play with the umpires, but the ruling stood and was not reviewed by replay.
“He said it doesn’t matter,” Trout said of what he was told by Porter. “As soon as your glove goes into the stands, it’s fair game. And if it hits their finger or the ball hits their hand, I guess it’s ruled dead. I guess if you saw the replay, it hits his hand first, then goes in my glove. So even if I would have come back out (with the ball), they probably could have challenged it. That was my understanding.”
Washington said he was told he could have challenged the play, but didn’t want to risk losing his challenge at that point in the game.
“I thought he had it and we looked at it,” Washington said. “It looked like a fan pulled it out of his glove as he was coming out, but I would have had to use a challenge. And if the umpires didn’t do that, I would have lost it early.”
Porter, who is the crew chief, told a pool reporter after the game that the play was reviewable, but is also a judgment call.
“The fly ball was in the stands — it was not over the field of play,” Porter said. “Once the ball is outside of the field of play, the fielder goes into the stands at his own risk. So, the ball being touched by the fan does not create spectator interference at that point.”
The fan and his son were escorted out of the section by security and moved to a different section. Trout had security bring the fan and his son down to the Angels clubhouse after the game. Trout gave the fan’s son a bat and signed the ball. He also took a picture with the fan and his son.
“They were really apologetic,” Trout said. “It didn’t really affect the game. I have a kid myself. That kid was probably 9 years old, so just seeing him after the game, they were really nice people.”
Diaz ended up flying out to center to end the inning.
The play was reminiscent of Game 4 of last year’s World Series when two fans interfered with him and one pried a foul ball out of the glove of Dodgers’ Mookie Betts at Yankee Stadium. However, umpires ruled that was fan interference and a catch by Betts.
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Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout bats during the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout leads off first base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Los Angeles Angels second baseman Kyren Paris (19) and right fielder Mike Trout (27) celebrate after a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, right, celebrates after his home run with first base coach Bo Porter (88) as he rounds the bases against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
