Josh Norris scored twice and Owen Power had three assists in the Buffalo Sabres’ 5-2 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
The Sabres are 4-1-0 in their last five games. Friday’s offensive outburst in Buffalo was welcome for a team that had scored just 15 goals in its previous seven home games.
Jack Quinn had a goal and an assist. Rasmus Dahlin and Josh Doan scored Buffalo’s other goals.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 24 of 26 shots to earn his fifth win in 11 games.
Jet Greaves stopped 32 of 37 shots for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-5-0 on the road.
Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist, and Zach Werenski scored Columbus’ other goal. Johnson has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak.
Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan did not return after sustaining a lower-body injury while blocking a shot in the second period.
Quinn opened the scoring 6:50 into the first period. Greaves stopped Quinn’s initial shot, but the forward backhanded his own rebound into the net for his ninth goal of the season.
Johnson’s team-leading eighth goal tied the game for Columbus 16 minutes into the opening period, but Norris restored Buffalo’s lead at the 18:10 mark. As Quinn moved toward the net, Norris used his teammate as a decoy and took the shot himself to score his first goal of the night.
The Sabres outshot Columbus 19-11 in the second period and added three more goals. Dahlin blasted a point shot through traffic to begin the surge at the 4:30 mark.
Norris displayed slick stickhandling in front of the Blue Jackets’ net to score again 9:46 into the second period. Just 67 seconds later, Doan deposited a loose puck for another Buffalo goal, which stood despite a Columbus replay challenge for goalie interference.
Werenski narrowed the Blue Jackets’ deficit with a power-play goal at 18:21 of the third period.
Columbus went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Buffalo went 0-for-4.