Blue Jackets beat Sabres 6-3 as Knies has a great debut

Dustin Judge
Blue Jackets beat Sabres 6-3 as Adam Fantilli and Zach Werenski celebrate a goal in an earlier game

The Blue Jackets beat Sabres 6-3 on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Nationwide Arena in the season opener for both teams, with newly acquired Matthew Knies scoring twice in his Columbus debut. The Blue Jackets answered an early Buffalo goal with three of their own before the first period ended.

How the Blue Jackets beat Sabres

Mattias Samuelsson put Buffalo ahead at 7:21 of the first period. Cole Sillinger tied it at 12:51, then Knies scored on the power play at 17:58 and Adam Fantilli added a tip-in at 18:44 to make it 3-1, according to NHL.com’s game recap.

Jack Quinn cut the lead to one at 1:25 of the second period, and Knies restored the two-goal margin with a redirection at 7:45. Konsta Helenius made it 4-3 at 13:14, but Columbus closed it out in the third. Sean Monahan scored on the power play at 14:21, and Mathieu Olivier added an empty-net goal at 17:53.

Knies, Coyle and Greaves lead Columbus

Knies, acquired from Toronto on Sept. 28, finished with two goals and an assist in his Blue Jackets debut. Charlie Coyle had three assists and Zach Werenski added two. Jet Greaves made 23 saves for the win. For the trade behind the debut, see our Knies trade story.

Zach Werenski, who had two assists as the Blue Jackets beat Sabres, reacts after a goal in March
Photo: Kyle Ross / Imagn Images

Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves, and the Sabres could not take advantage of five power plays, going 0-for-5. Columbus went 2-for-3 on the power play and killed all five of its penalties, according to NHL.com.

What it means for both teams

“A little sloppy, I guess,” Sabres forward Jack Quinn said, per the team’s recap. “I thought we had some good looks, to be honest.” Coach Lindy Ruff said special teams made the difference.

Columbus returns to Nationwide Arena on Saturday, Oct. 3, against Utah, while Buffalo opens at home Saturday against Chicago at 7 p.m. at KeyBank Center. For the pregame picture, see our Sabres vs. Blue Jackets preview.

Blue Jackets beat Sabres sources: NHL.com, Sabres.com and the Blue Jackets’ schedule breakdown.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.