In Buffalo Tuesday night, the visiting Winnipeg Jets were relentless in posting a 7-4 win over the Sabres.
Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers led the offense with two goals apiece in the victory as the Jets improved to 26-11-7.
Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien also scor3ed for the Jets.
Laine broke a seven-game scoring drought with the strike.
“It felt good to score again,” Laine said. “It was a huge goal for our team to capitalize on the power play right away. I think overall it was a weird game, a lot of goals, and we allowed a couple goals we shouldn’t have, but it was a good win.”
Steve Mason got the start for the Jets and made 30 saves for the win.
“It was nice to have the goal support that made it a little easier for me to settle back in a rhythm. After not playing a whole lot it’s tough to kind of find your groove, but when you have that kind of goal support it allows you to be a little more calm back there and work your way back in the game,” Mason said after the rare start and win.
There was a Jack Eichel sighting in Buffalo as he scored twice in the loss; Ryan O’Reilly added a single marker.
Jason Pominville scored for the first time for the Sabres in a month.
“We had to battle in the last 20,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “We turned some pucks over, some things we don’t like, but they get full marks for pushing hard in that game and we found a way to win a good road game.”
Joel Armia added an empty net goal to seal it for Winnipeg.
“The thing for me, and it’s very evident and I continue to talk about it, is our lack of respect and urgency playing defense,” Sabres head coach Phil Housley said after the Sabres’ fifth straight loss. “That’s not only in the defensive zone, that starts in the offensive zone, sensing possession that’s going to be in question, have a total urgency to get back, and we sit and wait at times. We’re hoping that somebody’s going to make a play and we don’t get back and then their ‘D’ are ahead of us, and that’s where it starts.”
The Sabres dropped to 10-24-9.
[WATCH: All Jets vs. Sabres highlights]
Robin Lehner got the start but was given the hook +after giving up four goals on 17 shots.
“I’ve got to be better,” Lehner said. “I take responsibility for this. We’ve got to take strides, we’ve got to do things better as a team here, and I’ll look at myself in the mirror first because this wasn’t good enough from me today.”
Lehner could have been better in this game but his efforts this season IN Buffalo have gone mostly ignored or overlooked as he rarely received much offensive support.
Chad Johnson mopped up for Lehner and made 16 saves and yielded three goals.
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