In Denver, the Colorado Avalanche rode a 34-save effort from rookie Jeremy Smith in a 5-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
“It feels great. It’s been a long time coming, but this first win feels really good,” Smith 
said. “I got it right here. That’s not going anywhere, anywhere but my shelf.”
Smith was recalled from the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage in time for the game with Calvin Pickard unable to play for a stiff neck.
“When I saw him get the puck, he’s a fast skater so it was like, ‘I hope he skates,’ and he did. Just a sigh of relief,” Smith said.
Gabriel Landeskog had two goals and three points in the win.
“Maybe right now it’s hard to put into perspective, but for him and for myself to be a part of that, for him to get that here on home ice is very special. I’m sure he’s been waiting a long time to get that puck,” Landeskog said after the win.
Mikhail Grigorenko and Tyson Barrie scored in the opening frame for the Avs and Blake Comeau also scored later for Colorado.
The Sabres were coming out of their break and as the habit has been this season, lost.
“We knew we were coming off the break, we knew it was going to be a tough game for us,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. “It’s just disappointing we give them three off the hop and we have to kind of reset and try and get back to playing our game and focus on coming back in that game.”
Sam Reinhart, Marcus Foligno and Evan Rodrigues were the Sabres’ goal scorers.
WATCH: All Sabres vs. Avalanche highlights
Robin Lehner made 25 saves in the loss.
“No matter which way you look at it, five days off, it’s tough coming back. It’s going to take some time settling into the game,” Reinhart said of the loss after the breal.
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