Afternoon games can sometimes be stodgy affairs, but the Buffalo Sabres kept the crowd interested long enough today to get their first win of the season. We knew this year's team would get into some high-scoring shootouts, and while the third period featured some defensive mishaps that were all-too-common last season, ultimately the Columbus Blue Jackets were not good enough to capitalize and the home side pulled out the 4-2 win.
As with all their games this season, the first period was a tentative, muddy affair. The Sabres did look good for their first few shifts, but then quickly settled into the neutral zone slog we've seen so often this season.