After scoring the game-winning goal in overtime on Thursday night, Noah Östlund recorded three assists to lead the Sabres in points, but Buffalo fell 6-3 to the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Saturday.

Despite jumping out to a two-goal lead, the Sabres endured their first loss in preseason play, now standing 4-1-0. In addition to Östlund’s impressive night, three different Sabres scored goals, with Josh Dunne, Zach Metsa, and Mason Jobst finding the back of the net. Goaltender Scott Ratzlaff, who got the start, stopped all 20 shots he faced, while Felix Sandström came on in relief and made 17 saves in the final 27:17 of the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Period 1

Konsta Helenius nearly got the Sabres on the board less than four minutes into the contest. Buffalo’s first-round draft selection from earlier this summer collected a puck with speed, cut to his backhand, then forehand for a shot in tight that Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins turned aside.

Riley Fiddler-Schultz had one of the best chances of the period, stealing a puck at the Columbus blueline to go in on a breakaway, but his five-hole attempt was snuffed out by Merzlikins.

Buffalo eventually broke through on its second power play of the game. On the man-advantage, Östlund fed the puck from the right side to Dunne, who crashed the net with his stick on the ice in the goalmouth for a redirection.

Dunne, who spent his first four professional seasons in the Blue Jackets organization, added his second goal in as many exhibition games. The undrafted free agent signed with Buffalo earlier this summer as a free agent.

Period 2

The Sabres doubled their lead in the middle stanza, shortly after killing off a penalty nearly halfway through the frame. Streaking down the ice for an odd-man rush, after Anton Wahlberg absorbed a hit to make an outlet pass, Mason Jobst carried the puck into the attacking zone, before dishing a pass across to Östlund on the right wing who dropped a pass to Metsa, who had joined the rush. The defenseman scored his first goal of the preseason, which gave the Sabres a 2-0 lead with 9:19 to go in the period.

Sandstrom would come on in relief of Ratzlaff, who finished with 20 saves on as many shots. In two preseason appearances, the 19-year-old goaltender has made 30 saves and has not allowed a goal against in 50:52 of game action.

Columbus would get on the board at the 17:49 mark, when James Van Riemsdyk scored just seconds after he collected a pass through the blue paint from Kirill Marchenko.

Period 3

Sean Monahan evened the score at 2-2 with a power play goal 6:19 into the final period. With Isak Rosen in the penalty box, Monahan parked himself in front of the net, and recieved a pass from Kent Johnson to tie the game. Monahan, Jake Christiansen, and Adam Fantilli all scored within a span of 1:15 to give the Blue Jackets a 5-2 lead.

With 6:14 to play in the period, Jobst scored to bring Buffalo back within two. Vsevolod Komarov grabbed control of a loose puck at his own blue line, and made an outlet pass to Östlund, who found Jobst, beating Merzlikins as he dove across to his left.

Facing a two-goal deficit in the final moments of regulation, Buffalo pulled the goaltender in favor of an extra attacker. Cole Sillinger capped off the night’s scoring with an empty net goal to seal the Blue Jackets 6-3 win.

POSTGAME COMMENTS

UP NEXT

The Sabres group that remained in North America will return home to wrap up the team’s 2024 preseason on Monday night against the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on Sabres.com.

The Buffalo Sabres 2024-25 regular season kicks off in Prague, Czechia on Friday, October 4, when the Sabres and New Jersey Devils meet as part of the NHL Global Series.