With Tuesday’s home opener devoted to a much-needed, emotional remembrance of the lives of brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Thursday’s contest against the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena shifted to the traditional blue carpet walk and grand introduction of the players and staff to the crowd.

The Blue Jackets came into the game with a record of 1-2-0 after falling to Florida 4-3 Tuesday. The Sabres, 1-2-1, were coming off a 6-5 overtime loss at Pittsburgh Wednesday. It was an emotional night for Penguin fans, who saw Evgeni Malkin score his 500th career goal and Sidney Crosby pass 1,600 NHL points.

Columbus got on the board first. The Blue Jackets were on the power play in the first period. With his second shot attempt from the left circle in 10 seconds, Yegor Chinakhov wristed one past Buffalo goaltender Devon Levi. Zach Werenski and Kent Johnson picked up assists on the play.

The Blue Jackets added a goal with just 32 seconds left in the first period when Kirill Marchenko intercepted an attempted clearing pass along the left half-wall, then skated into the left circle and snapped one by Levi. At the end of the first period, it was 2-0 Columbus.

The Sabres cut the lead in half with a goal at the 9:34 mark of the second period. On a rush, Ryan McLeod took a pass from Jason Zucker and beat Daniil Tarasov for the score. Three minutes later, the Blue Jackets took a two-goal lead once again when Adam Fantilli took a rebound off a Zach Werenski shot and found the net.

The next three goals came within two minutes and six seconds. Buffalo’s Jiri Kulich tipped one in from the slot with 2:31 left in the second. Shortly after that, Cole Sillinger carried the puck into the Sabres’ zone, then sent a touch pass ahead to Mathieu Olivier who drove to the net and scored. Owen Power finished the period’s scoring, sending a shot home off a carom to the right circle.

In the third period, Columbus scored a goal just 15 seconds into the frame. Zachary Aston-Reese tipped in a rebounded shot for his first goal as a Blue Jacket. The CBJ scored one more time, at the 8:10 mark, when Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko took the puck on a forecheck near the blue line. Marchenko than executed a perfect pass to Damon Severson, who was streaking down the slot and scored.

The final goal of the night came with 2:09 left when Buffalo added an extra attacker and JJ Peterka slapped one past Tarasov. The Jackets played solid defense the rest of the way for the 6-4 win, their second victory of the season.

Columbus plays its third straight home game Saturday when the Minnesota Wild come to Nationwide Arena. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

EXTRAS:
– Kent Johnson went down the tunnel holding his arm after colliding with a teammate and falling awkwardly to the ice. He did not play after that.
– With the injuries to captain Boone Jenner and assistant captain Erik Gudbranson, Sean Monahan has been appointed as an assistant captain. He skated with the “A” against Buffalo.
– No player on the Sabres’ active roster Thursday was older than 29. The Blue Jackets, who have often been among the youngest teams in the NHL, have seven players 30 and older on the active roster.
– Zach Aston-Reese has been given the nickname “The Hyphenator” by his teammates. How does that sit with the original Hyphenator, Columbus broadcaster Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre (who has one more hyphen)? Stay tuned.

Trivia question:
Who are the two most recent players to take the ice for both the Blue Jackets and the Sabres?
Answer: Alex Nylander and Eric Robinson