Sabres throttle Blue Jackets in first home preseason game

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR) - Several players recorded multi-point games for the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, including Noah Östlund with two goals in a 5-1 preseason victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center.

Neither team was able to score in the opening period, despite plenty of power play chances. Buffalo had three opportunities with the man advantage in the opening 20 minutes, while Columbus did not have a chance.

The Sabres had 11 shots on goal in the first period, compared to six for the Blue Jackets.

The first goal of the night was scored midway through the second period to help the Sabres open up a one-goal lead. After a great shift in the Columbus zone, Josh Norris scored his first goal of the preseason on a one-time chance from the right-wing faceoff dot.

Owen Power and Konsta Helenius were credited with the assists on the game's first goal.

Östlund quickly doubled the Sabres' lead, and even extended it to three goals thanks to back-to-back goals less than 30 seconds apart.

The first goal came off of a rebound chance in front of Blue Jackets goalie Cam Talbot after Sabres winger Zach Benson hit the goal post with the initial shot.

Benson recorded his second assist of the game moments later with a pass across the ice on a 2-on-1 opportunity that set up Östlund's second goal of the night.

Benson and Power each recorded two assists across the three Sabres goals scored in the second period.

Late in the second period, Sabres defenseman Olen Zellweger was caught admiring a pass in the offensive zone and took a hit from Blue Jackets defenseman Carson Soucy. The newcomer ended up needing help off the ice and into the dressing room, and did not return for the rest of the contest.

The third period saw a change in goal for both teams, as Colten Ellis relieved Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the Sabres, while Evan Gardner came in net for Talbot and Columbus. Luukkonen was able to turn aside all 13 shots faced in his 40 minutes of action.

In addition, the Sabres were without defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to begin the third period after blocking a shot in the second period.

Conor Timmins pinched in from the blue line and used a backhand under the bar to beat Gardner for Buffalo's fourth goal of the night. It was one of five early shots in the third period for Buffalo.

Tage Thompson made the pass that helped create the game's fourth goal. Thompson and Jack Quinn were credited with the assists.

Thompson then added a goal of his own late in the third period after a determined individual effort.

Josh Doan and Power assisted on Thompson's goal that made it 5-0 in favor of Buffalo.

Blue Jackets defenseman Corson Ceulemans broke up the combined shutout bid for Luukkonen and Ellis with a goal late in the third period. His score came with just over two minutes remaining in regulation to trim the deficit to 5-1.

Aside from the one late goal-against, Ellis was able to turn aside 11of-12 shots faced in the final 20 minutes of regulation.

----------

SCORING RECAP

First Period:
BUF: NONE
CBJ: NONE

Second Period:
BUF: 10:12 - Josh Norris (1) (Owen Power, Konsta Helenius); 11:54 - Noah Östlund (1) (Zach Benson, Owen Power); 12:22 - Noah Östlund (2) (Zach Benson)
CBJ: NONE

Third Period:
BUF: 3:35 - Conor Timmins (1) (Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn); 14:32 - Tage Thompson (1) (Josh Doan, Owen Power)
CBJ: 16:19 - Corson Ceulemans (1) (Dmitri Voronkov, Boston Buckberger)

----------

STATS OF THE GAME:

----------

Bluestar Home Services Three Stars of the Game:

1.) Noah Östlund - BUF
2.) Josh Norris - BUF
3.) Conor Timmins - BUF

----------

What's next:

The Sabres will travel to Detroit for their third preseason game against the Red Wings on Thursday night. Faceoff from Little Caesars Arena is slated for 7 p.m. on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR.