MILANO, Italy (AP) — Tage Thompson’s booming slap shot from deep in the zone has Team USA teammates buzzing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

The Buffalo Sabres forward buried a perfect shot from the top of the circles in the Americans’ 5-1 group-stage victory over Germany on Tuesday, securing the No. 2 seed heading into knockouts. “You see his bomb,” Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin said in an interview with NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika. “Like, no one else scores from out there.”

Thompson, a 28-year-old Arizona native and 2016 first-round draft pick, tallied two goals in pool play despite limited ice time under New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan, leading Team USA, has favored Rangers centers J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck in defensive zones, trimming shifts for the 6-foot-6 Sabres powerhouse.

The U.S. faces Sweden in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Buffalo teammate Rasmus Dahlin anchors Sweden’s defense alongside NHL stars like Mika Zibanejad and Elias Pettersson. Thompson shrugged off the matchup pressure. “This is what you live for, those games that mean something, big challenge, when there’s a lot on the line,” he told Cotsonika. “I think that’s why we all play the game.”

Thompson brings a resume packed with clutch performances. He netted the overtime winner for U.S. gold at the 2025 IIHF World Championship last spring. Earlier, he claimed titles at the 2015 U-18 Worlds and 2017 World Juniors. Those moments have honed his edge in high-stakes play, something Buffalo craves after a 14-year playoff drought.

Back in the NHL, the Sabres hold Thompson to 59 points — 30 goals, 29 assists — in 57 games this season. With 25 regular-season games left, the team eyes pressure-packed finishes. Thompson has never seen Stanley Cup playoffs but thrives internationally. His individual scoring punch could swing tight elimination games here, where low-scoring affairs define success.

Sullivan praised Thompson’s blend of size, speed and shot accuracy that terrorizes NHL defenses. At the Olympics, that toolkit shines brighter. Teammates like Larkin see it as a game-changer. Even if Team USA falls short, Thompson returns to Buffalo with invaluable reps.

The Sabres lean on him as a locker-room leader alongside Dahlin. Both face scrutiny to deliver in crunch time. Thompson’s Olympic showing offers a blueprint. His long-range threat forces defenses to collapse early, opening lanes for linemates. Larkin nailed it: Few in the league match that shot from distance.

As knockouts loom, Thompson eyes more big moments. Sweden presents the first test. Dahlin knows Thompson’s game intimately from Buffalo practices. The duel adds intrigue to a U.S. squad blending NHL firepower with Olympic intensity.

Team USA routed Germany behind Thompson’s snipe and steady defense. Now, medals hang in the balance. Thompson’s form positions him to deliver.