Sabres Dominate as Jets Fall Flat in Buffalo
After snapping a four-game skid with a solid win in Nashville, the Winnipeg Jets came into Buffalo hoping to build some momentum on their five-game road swing. But instead of stacking wins, the Jets ran into a buzzsaw at KeyBank Center, where the Sabres delivered a 5-1 thumping that exposed some glaring issues in Winnipeg’s game.
The loss drops the Jets to 13-12-0, while the Sabres improve to 11-11-4. And while the standings show these teams are neck-and-neck, the on-ice product told a very different story.
Jets Shuffle the Deck, But Chemistry Still Missing
Winnipeg came into this one tweaking their forward lines once again, still searching for the right mix beyond the top unit. Jonathan Toews centered Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov on the second line, while Adam Lowry was flanked by Nino Niederreiter and Alex Iafallo on the third. The fourth line saw Morgan Barron between Gustav Nyquist and Tanner Pearson.
Defensively, Elias Salomonsson sat this one out, replaced by Luke Schenn on the second pairing with Dylan Samberg. Colin Miller and Logan Stanley rounded out the third pair.
In net, it was Eric Comrie getting the call again with Connor Hellebuyck still sidelined. Comrie came in with a 5-4-0 record, a 3.05 goals-against average, and a .894 save percentage-but this night got away from him quickly.
First Period: Sabres Strike Early and Often
If the Jets were hoping to ease into this one, Buffalo had other ideas.
Barely 90 seconds in, Dylan DeMelo was whistled for holding, and the Sabres wasted little time cashing in. Josh Norris-making just his second appearance of the season-combined with Josh Doan to set up Jason Zucker in front. The result: a tap-in goal and a 1-0 Sabres lead.
Just 16 seconds later, Buffalo doubled up. Conor Timmins and Jack Quinn set the table for Bowen Byram, who snapped one past Comrie on the rush. Suddenly, it was 2-0, and the Jets looked shell-shocked.
Winnipeg had a chance to claw back on a power play midway through the period after Rasmus Dahlin was called for interference, but the Jets couldn’t generate much. And the Sabres weren’t done.
At the 13:46 mark, Norris found the net himself, finishing off a slick sequence from Zach Benson and Tage Thompson. It was 3-0, and the Jets were in disarray. Buffalo outshot Winnipeg 14-8 in the opening frame, and head coach Rick Bowness had seen enough-Comrie’s night was over after 20 minutes, with rookie Thomas Milic taking over in goal to start the second.
Second Period: Connor Shows Life, But Sabres Answer Back
The Jets showed a flicker of life midway through the second. Kyle Connor, who’s been one of the few consistent offensive threats this season, tipped home a point shot from Josh Morrissey after some crisp puck movement from the top line. It was Connor’s 13th of the season and cut the deficit to 3-1.
But that momentum didn’t last long.
Less than two minutes later, Alex Tuch restored Buffalo’s three-goal cushion. After Josh Doan fed him the puck at center ice, Tuch drove into the zone, had his first shot stopped by Milic, but stayed with the play and buried the rebound from a sharp angle. That made it 4-1, and any hopes of a Jets comeback were fading fast.
There were no penalties in the second, and the Sabres continued to control the pace. They outshot the Jets 7-6 in the period, keeping Winnipeg’s offense largely to the outside.
Third Period: Norris Puts It Away, Frustration Boils Over
If the Jets were going to mount a late push, they needed a strong start to the third. Instead, Josh Norris struck again.
Set up by Dahlin and Benson, Norris broke in alone and beat Milic with a smooth backhand finish to make it 5-1. That was his second goal of the night and third point overall-a statement performance from a player just returning to the lineup.
From there, the Jets’ frustration started to show.
Logan Stanley took an elbowing penalty, which Winnipeg managed to kill off. But minutes later, Jason Zucker flipped the puck over the glass for a delay of game, giving the Jets another power play opportunity. Once again, the offense couldn’t capitalize.
With just over six minutes left, tempers flared near center ice. Stanley, Namestnikov, and Beck Malenstyn were all handed 10-minute misconducts after a post-whistle scrum. The game wound down without much more drama, and the Sabres skated away with a convincing win.
By the Numbers
Buffalo outshot Winnipeg 31-24 overall and won the special teams battle early. The Jets did bring the physicality, registering 35 hits to the Sabres’ 12 and blocking 17 shots to Buffalo’s 8. But those numbers didn’t translate into results.
Faceoffs were close, with the Jets winning 21 of 44 draws, but puck possession and zone time clearly tilted toward the home team.
Josh Norris was the undisputed star of the night, finishing with two goals and an assist in just his second game of the season. His return adds a new layer of depth to a Sabres lineup that already has plenty of young talent.
What’s Next
The Jets now head to Montreal for the final stop on this five-game road trip. After a pair of disappointing performances sandwiched around a win in Nashville, they’ll be looking to close things out on a high note against the Canadiens on Wednesday night.
Puck drop is set for just after 6:30 p.m. CT.