Alex Tuch scored two second-period goals after registering a first-period assist and the Buffalo Sabres recorded their first four-game winning streak in more than two years with a 3-2 home victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Bowen Byram had a goal with an assist, Jason Zucker added two helpers and James Reimer made 27 saves for the Sabres, who notched four straight wins — to sweep their homestand — for the first time since a five-game run in January 2023.
Reimer improved to 2-4-1 in seven starts since joining Buffalo.
Ivan Provorov logged a goal and an assist and Kent Johnson also scored for Columbus, which dropped two after winning the first two of a four-game road stretch. Elvis Merzlikins made 18 saves for the Blue Jackets, who have lost two straight games in regulation for the first time since mid-December.
Both teams played out without top players due to injury.
Columbus was minus team points leader and Norris Trophy candidate Zach Werenski (undisclosed), goal-leader Kirill Marchenko (broken jaw, on injured reserve) and key defenseman Dante Fabbro (upper body) — all hurt in a 5-3 loss at Dallas on Sunday.
Tage Thompson, Buffalo’s leader with 26 goals and 48 points, sat out and is day-to-day after taking a hit to the head Sunday in a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.
Buffalo opened the scoring with 9:53 remaining in the first period. Byram was in the right spot in the slot to quickly drive home Zucker’s shot, which was blocked by the stick of Columbus defenseman Denton Mateychuk.
The Blue Jackets tied it 1:47 into the second period on a highlight-reel goal from Johnson. With Byram on top of him, Johnson stopped at the circle, half-spun, then sent a backhander past Reimer to extend his point streak to eight games.
Buffalo regained the lead with 7:43 left in the middle frame. Sabres defenseman Dennis Gilbert waited to find a spot in the slot for Tuch to successfully redirect the puck past Merzlikins.
The Sabres made it 3-1, again through Tuch, who was credited with tipping in Rasmus Dahlin’s blast with 1:04 to go before the second intermission.
The latter goal proved important after the puck deflected off Provorov’s foot and in with 7:22 remaining in regulation.
–Field Level Media
