|
 Matt Calvert, Nick Foligno, Dalton Prout and Brandon Saad scored
for the Blue Jackets (33-40-8).
Sam Reinhart tallied for the Sabres (34-36-11) while Jason Kasdorf
made 26 saves in his NHL debut.
Calvert opened the scoring on the power play with 1:15 remaining in
the first period. The left winger skated inside the left circle with
speed before unleashing a hard wrist shot off the far post and in
for his 10th goal of the season.
The Blue Jackets could not stay out of the penalty box in the second
period, taking four separate penalties, and the Sabres eventually
made them pay on a 5-on-3 opportunity. Reinhart put the Sabres on
the board at 13:37 with a terrific deflection on a pass by fellow
rookie Jack Eichel. It was Reinhart's 23rd goal.
The Blue Jackets soon took back control, despite being outshot 18-6
in the second.
Foligno made it 2-1 with 4:44 remaining in the second. After
Columbus forced a turnover along the right wall, center Boone Jenner
found a wide-open Foligno for his 12th goal.
Prout gave Columbus a 3-1 lead 2:09 later on a 3-on-2 rush up ice.
Prout ripped a hard wrist shot high to the glove side for his third
goal.
Saad made it 4-1 at 5:11 of the third. After Kasdorf lost track of
the puck behind the net, center Alexander Wennberg found Saad wide
open in the slot and Saad buried a one-timer for his 30th goal.
[to top of second column] |
Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian left the game in the first period
after taking a hard hit from Saad and did not return.
NOTES: LW Evander Kane (upper body), G Robin Lehner (ankle), D Cody
Franson (neck), C Cal O'Reilly, D Casey Nelson and RW Hudson
Fasching were scratched for the Sabres. ... RW Rene Bourque, RW
David Clarkson (lower body), D Cody Goloubef (oblique), G Curtis
McElhinney (knee), RW Jared Boll and D Fedor Tyutin (lower body)
were scratched for the Blue Jackets. ... Buffalo native Cole
Schneider made his NHL debut against Columbus. Schneider, acquired
from Ottawa in an seven-player trade Feb. 27, is the sixth Buffalo
native to appear in a regular-season game for the Sabres, joining
Justin Bailey, Marcus Foligno, Patrick Kaleta, Tim Kennedy and Scott
Thomas. ... The Sabres announced their team awards, as voted by the
players, before the game -- Man of the Year: LW Marcus Foligno;
Unsung Hero: G Chad Johnson; Rookie of the Year: C Jack Eichel; MVP:
C Ryan O'Reilly.
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