Norris scores two, Power has three assists, Sabres cruise past Blue Jackets

BUFFALO -- Josh Norris scored twice and Owen Power had three assists for the Buffalo Sabres in a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center on Friday.

Jack Quinn had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (8-5-3), who have won four of their past five games. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 24 saves.

“They’re a hard team to play against,” Norris said. “We played them first game of the year (a 6-3 loss at Columbus), and it was a tough game. “… Obviously just wanted to be a lot better today and thought just from top to bottom everyone was great. ‘Upie’ made some great saves. I thought just everyone contributed and that’s what we need night in and night out.”

Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist, and Zach Werenski scored for the second straight game for the Blue Jackets (7-8-0), who had won two in a row. Jet Greaves made 32 saves

“They were noticeably hungrier, which it hurts to say. That shouldn't be,” Columbus forward Charlie Coyle said. “It doesn't matter if it's a back-to-back; it's playing to win a hockey game, and it's a big two points, and we didn't come out as hungry as they did. Simple as that.”

Quinn gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 6:50 of the first period. Greaves stopped Quinn’s shot from the right circle, but Quinn kept driving to the net and collected the rebound in front before sweeping a backhand past Greaves’ right skate.

Johnson tied it 1-1 when he took a pass from Sean Monahan in the right circle and snapped it inside the far post at 16:00.

Norris put the Sabres ahead 2-1 at 18:10. With the teams playing 4-on-4, he carried the puck to the left circle before cutting to the slot for a snap shot that beat Greaves five-hole.

Rasmus Dahlin’s one-timer from the right point off a blue-line feed from Peyton Krebs went bar down over Greaves on the glove side to push it to 3-1 at 4:30 of the second period.

“I thought in the second period we started out great,” Columbus coach Rick Bowness said. “We had a lot of great looks, we didn't score, and then they get that third goal, and I don't like how we responded after that. These guys were as disappointed as we are in that performance tonight, and they've taken great pride in turning this thing around. It's team commitment to team defense, and we had too many lapses tonight.”

Norris increased it to 4-1 at 9:46 when Zach Benson found him uncovered in front, and he slipped a backhand by Greaves’ left skate.

Noah Ostlund lifted the puck through his and Monahan’s legs for a shot that went off Doan’s leg in the crease and into the net to make it 5-1 at 10:53. The Blue Jackets challenged for goaltender interference, but video review confirmed the goal.

“I think playing with confidence a little bit at home and try not to be too cute at home was an emphasis,” Doan said. “I think we did a good job getting pucks to the net early and a lot of bodies around the net.”

Werenski, who scored his first goal of the season the previous night in a 2-1 shootout win against the Dallas Stars, narrowed it to 5-2 with a power-play goal from above the slot at 18:21 of the third period.

NOTES: Monahan left the game late in the second period with a lower-body injury and forward Dmitri Voronkov left in the third period with an upper-body injury. Bowness said both were being evaluated. … Werenski is the second player in Blue Jackets history with a season-opening road point streak of at least six games after Gustav Nyquist. … Dahlin’s goal was his 444th career point, moving him past John Klingberg for eighth most by a Swedish defenseman in NHL history. … Benson extended his point streak to a career high six games (two goals, seven assists). … Conor Timmins had an assist and one shot on goal in 15:18 of ice time in his season debut after recovering from a lower-body injury sustained in the preseason.