In Buffalo, the Sabres found themselves in another run and gun game, this time with the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.
One night after dropping a 5-4 decision to the New York Rangers, the Sabres found themselves on the wrong end of a 7-4 loss to the Jackets.
Jack Roslovic hit for a pair of goals for Columbus in the win.
“Yeah, it’s fun,” Roslovic said. “I think of that as my job and to do that is important, but you learn a lot of things as well. You’re consistently learning all the time. There’s not many ways to help the team win and we’ve been playing well. It was a good road trip (2-1-0), and that was a good way to end it.”
Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves in the Jackets win.
Tage Thompson struck for two goals for the Sabres.
“I think we definitely made it hard on ourselves at times,” Thompson said. “Consistency, we’ve got to do it for a full 60 (minutes). … It was more so just getting a little too cute, I think. A lot more east-west instead of going north, putting pucks behind them, being more direct. I think when we did that, we had success. Maybe we let the success get to us a little bit and tried to change our game instead of sticking with it. So I think that was the biggest thing.”
Columbus improved to 10-6-0.
Max Domi and Oliver Bjorkstrand added single markers for the Blue Jackets.
“I think our line tonight as a whole was great,” Domi said. “Jack was unbelievable. It’s great to see him get rewarded like that, he’s been playing so hard and obviously the puck hasn’t always gone his way this year. That’s how it goes, it’s the game of hockey, so to see him get rewarded was awesome. And obviously ‘Hof’ jumping in like that was outstanding.”
Vladislav Gavrikov also potted two goals for Columbus.
Dylan Cozens and Zemgus Girgensons also scored for the Sabres.
“I think Tage has reached a spot where he’s exciting to watch and he can keep you on the edge of your seat because he’s capable right now,” Sabres head coach Don Granato said. “But as far as the potential, I don’t think we’re seeing anything close to what he’s going to become. We just need to keep getting him in situations, his confidence will grow and grow. He’s starting to learn how valuable his size, his strength is. … I think when he does it enough, he’s going to realize how powerful that is and really take advantage of it. So it is a long way. There’s a lot of potential there, but it’s fun to see it.”
Gavrikov and Sean Kuraly scored empty-net goals late in the third period to ice the win.
Dustin Tokarski got the start for Buffalo and yielded allowed four goals and made just eight saves before getting the hook with 55 seconds gone in the second period.
Aaron Dell made 14 saves in relief..
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