The Blue Jackets played their first game as a squad during the 2024-25 season Friday night in Buffalo, as their youngsters dropped a 3-1 decision to the Sabres to kick off the Prospects Challenge.

Game in a Paragraph

Columbus was outshot 41-21 and never had the lead, but they did have their moments. The Blue Jackets had some excellent looks in transition, but Sabres goalie Scott Retzlaff made the stops he needed to preserve the win. Buffalo 2022 first-round pick Jiri Kulich had the opening and closing goals for the Sabres while Gavin Brindley scored for Columbus, which gave up a single goal in each period.

CBJ Standouts

• Nolan Lalonde had a standout performance in net, as the undrafted free agent signee stopped 38 of 41 shots against.
• Brindley’s tally got the Jackets on the board for the night, while he was assisted by Luca Del Bel Belluz.

How It Happened

The Blue Jackets chased the play throughout the first period and found themselves down 1-0 – and outshot 16-4 – through the frame. Buffalo scored the opener at 10:44 as Vsevolod Komarov’s shot from the right point was blocked in front, but Kulich gathered the puck and quickly fired past Lalonde. The Jackets’ best chances included a breakaway shot by Brindley that hit the post and Tyler Peddle’s between-the-legs attempt stopped by Retzlaff late in the frame.

In the second, Columbus got on the board with its first goal of the tournament just 3:41 into the frame with the teams skating 4-on-4. Brindley and Del Bel Belluz did good work to create a chance, and Brindley was able to take the ricochet of Nolan Collins’ shot off the glass and quickly tuck it past Retzlaff. Buffalo countered to take a 2-1 lead just 1:42 later, though, as Olivier Nadeau backhanded a rebound past Lalonde on the power play. Sam Alfano and Luca Pinelli had good chances later in the frame to tie for the CBJ, but Retzlaff closed the door each time.

Buffalo put the nail in the coffin early in the third, as Kulich got his second of the night 2:30 into the frame to make it 3-1. It was a fantastic individual effort, as he took the puck at the blue line, got around a Blue Jackets defender and made a nice move to beat Lalonde on the forehand. CBJ forward Pano Fimis had a breakaway shortly thereafter that Retzlaff stopped, and Buffalo was able to bring the win home from there.

Notable

The Sabres were up 35-13 in shots on goal through two periods before the Blue Jackets had an 8-6 edge in the third. … Buffalo scored on 1 of 4 power plays, while Columbus was 0-1. … Free agent invites Nick DeAngelis and Mael Lavigne dropped the gloves in separate tilts in the third period. …

Roster Report

With a quick matchup against Boston on deck for tomorrow afternoon, the Blue Jackets scratched forward James Malatesta and defenseman Denton Mateychuk.

Up Next

The Blue Jackets are right back on the ice Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. to take on the Bruins in game two of three at the event.