Kirill Marchenko and Mathieu Olivier both collected one goal and one assist to lead the host Columbus Blue Jackets to a 6-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
Yegor Chinakhov, Adam Fantilli, Zachary Aston-Reese and Damon Severson also scored for the Blue Jackets. Goaltender Daniil Tarasov made 20 saves.
Ryan McLeod, Jiri Kulich, Owen Power and J.J. Peterka replied for the struggling Sabres, who have only one win in their first six games. Goalie Devon Levi stopped 19 shots.
The Blue Jackets were quicker off the mark and were rewarded with Chinakhov’s power-play goal at 5:12 of the first period, a wrist shot from the top of the circle for his second goal of the season.
Marchenko doubled the lead with 31.2 seconds remaining in the first period when he intercepted a clearing attempt and wired a shot from the left faceoff dot for his second of the campaign.
McLeod put the Sabres on the board at 9:34 of the second period by converting a cross-ice pass for his second of the season, but Fantilli restored Columbus’ two-goal edge at 12:18 of the middle frame by pouncing on a rebound. It also marked his second goal of the season.
Kulich netted his first career goal with a high deflection at 17:29 of the period, but Olivier replied with his first of the season 29 seconds later by neatly converting a sharp-angled shot off the rush to make it a 4-2 game.
Power again pulled the Sabres close by converting a rebound with 25 seconds remaining in the period for his second of the campaign. However, Aston-Reese made it a 5-3 affair with a deflection tally 15 seconds into the third period, his first goal of the season.
Severson added to the Blue Jackets’ edge at 8:10 of the final frame with his first of the season, as he redirected Marchenko’s pass while driving to the net.
Peterka netted his third of the season with 2:09 remaining while Buffalo had the goalie pulled for the extra attacker, but it was too little and too late for the visitors.
The Blue Jackets, already riddled with injuries this season, suffered another blow. Forward Kent Johnson left early in the second period after colliding with a teammate.
–Field Level Media