The Columbus Blue Jackets jumped out to an early lead, and never looked back, in a 6-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena.

Six different players scored for the Blue Jackets, Yegor Chinakhov, Kirill Marchenko (1+1), Adam Fantilli, Mathieu Olivier (1+1), Zach Aston-Reese and Damon Severson, while defensemen Jake Christiansen and Zach Werenski had two assists each. Daniil Tarasov got the start in net for Columbus and made 21 saves on 25 shots.

Jiri Kulich scored the first goal of his NHL career. Ryan McLeod, Owen Power and JJ Peterka also scored for the Sabres, and 10 different players had a point each. Devon Levi made his third start of the season and finished the night with 19 saves.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

Columbus jumped on Buffalo in the first period with two goals.

Following an interference penalty by Connor Clifton, Chinakhov put a shot past Levi’s 5:11 into the period. Then, in the final minute of the first frame, Marchenko stole a Buffalo pass and scored from the left faceoff dot.

The Blue Jackets finished the opening period with a 9-4 lead in shots.

Second Period

The Sabres and Blue Jackets traded five goals in a span of 10:01, a run that ended with Columbus carrying a 4-3 lead into intermission.

McLeod scored the first goal at the 9:34 mark, burying a crossing feed from Jason Zucker after a Jordan Greenway stretch pass had set the pair loose on a 2-on-1 rush. The Blue Jackets answered less than three minutes later with a goal from Fantilli, who buried a rebound off a Zach Werenski shot.

Kulich deflected a shot from Cozens for his first NHL goal to bring the Sabres back within one with 2:31 left in the period. The Blue Jackets answered again 29 seconds later, this time with a goal from Olivier goal score right on Levi’s doorstep.

Power brought the Sabres back within a goal with 25 seconds left in the period, scoring on a long rebound off a Rasmus Dahlin shot.

Third Period

Just 15 seconds into the final period, Aston-Reese deflected Christiansen’s shot into the net for Columbus’ fifth goal of the night. Severson added one more for the Blue Jackets with 11:50 on the clock to give them a 6-3 lead.

With 2:41 to go, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff pulled Levi from the net, and the Sabres made use of the extra man. Peterka capitalized on a rebound off of Tarasov to cut the score to 6-4.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

POSTGAME SOUND

UP NEXT

The Sabres will travel to Chicago to conclude their three-game road trip on Saturday night against the Blackhawks. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. on MSG and WGR550.