Sabres vs Blue Jackets Last Game Recap

The Buffalo Sabres dominated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 in their preseason matchup at Nationwide Arena. Despite Columbus outshooting Buffalo 35-22, the Sabres shut down every scoring chance. Alexandar Georgiev's stellar goaltending made all the diference in the Sabres vs Blue Jackets last game. Buffalo's defensive control in the second and third periods proved way too much for Columbus to handle.

How the Sabres shut down Columbus

Georgiev made 16 saves for Buffalo, keeping the Blue Jackets off the board all night. Devon Levi took over in the third period and added six more stops (honestly, they were impressive). The Sabres controlled play after the first period, limiting Columbus to low-quality chances. Physical intensity set the tone when Max McCue and Josh Dunne dropped the gloves midway through the game. Buffalo's defense forced the Blue Jackets into difficult positions every single shift.

Buffalo's scoring came late when pressure finally broke through. Jack Quinn scored in the third period to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead. Konsta Helenius added an empty-netter in the final minute to seal the victory. The Sabres' ability to grind defensively for two full periods led directly to those goals.

Why Columbus struggles in the final period

The Blue Jackets' third-period problems are becoming a real concern for the team. They've been outscored 45-28 in the third period this season. Columbus lost their last regular-season game to Carolina 4-1 on December 9. The Hurricanes scored three goals in just the third period alone to pull away. Jet Greaves made 27 solid saves despite the loss, but late-game scoring droughts keep hurting Columbus.

Dmitri Voronkov scored a power-play goal early in that Carolina game, showing offensive potencial. Yet Columbus couldn't maintain momentum into the final 20 minutes. The team has now lost back-to-back regulation games for the first time in over a month. Preseason results like the loss to Buffalo suggest deeper issues with late-game execution and stamina. Columbus needs to find answers before these patterns cost them playoff positioning.