The Columbus Blue Jackets found a way Tuesday night on the road in Buffalo. Miles Wood scored the game-winner in overtime in his return to the lineup after taking a puck to the eye, finishing two with goals in the 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Related: Miles Wood Nets Overtime Winner as Blue Jackets Slip Past the Sabres
Yegor Chinakhov and Zach Werenski were the other goal scorers for the Blue Jackets, while Jet Greaves stopped 35 of 38 shots in the win. Greaves improved to 2-3-0 on the season.
Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod, and Josh Dunne scored for the Sabres, while Alex Lyon turned aside 35 of 39 shots in the loss.
Here are three takeaways from the gutsy 4-3 overtime win.
Blue Jackets Finding Different Ways to Win
The Blue Jackets dominated the first period, outshooting the Sabres 14-9 and holding them without a shot for a good stretch early on. Chinakhov opened the scoring with a smooth forehand-to-backhand move for his second goal of the season in just his sixth game.
After the Blue Jackets went down 2-1, Werenski tied it late in the middle frame with a power-play goal. He finished the night with a goal and an assist. Wood tied the game late in the third at 3-3, forcing overtime where he would later seal the win.
Head coach Dean Evason said he was proud of the team’s effort but admitted it wasn’t a perfect 60 minutes.
“Did we play consistent for 60 minutes? No, but we hung around,” Evason said. “When they pushed, we were able to just hold. We feel good about getting two points, but there’s stuff we can correct, no question about that.”
The Columbus Blue Jackets celebrate an overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
Evason added that he liked how his group responded after the Sabres’ push in the second period.
“They came out hard in the second. We gave up a couple, obviously, but we stayed in it and didn’t let it get away from us. That’s something we’ve talked about and need to keep doing,” he said.
The Blue Jackets’ penalty kill went a perfect two for two on the night and overall stayed disciplined throughout.
Depth Scoring Comes Through
The Blue Jackets’ fourth line was everywhere on Tuesday night. Left winger Wood brought speed and a hard forecheck, right winger Chinakhov continued to impress with a goal and an assist, and center Isac Lundestrom quietly went plus-3 with a smart, simple game. Lundestrom also went six for nine (67%) at the dot.
“It was a great team win for us. We played as a team tonight, and it certainly showed.”
Wood described the game-winning play in overtime as a bit of a scramble that turned into a perfect finish.
“He made a great play on the wall. Slowed the play down and I was just fortunate enough to get a stick on it. That play was all him. It bounced like a crazy ball out there. I do not know why, maybe bad ice or something, but I was fortunate enough to get the puck at the end, pass it up to Lundy, and it worked out,” he said.
Werenski picked up the assist on that play after a pass from Lundestrom, tossing the puck toward the net for Wood to battle home.
Chinakhov, meanwhile, was once again one of the most noticeable forwards, using his speed and finishing with 12:49 of ice time, a small uptick from previous games.
Evason also talked about the Wood and the fourth line.
“Woody was so physical all night. He’s a big body that’s continually banging, disrupting, and getting in on the forecheck. That line had a night.”
Blue Jackets Becoming a Road Team?
It’s been the opposite story of last season so far. The Blue Jackets were strong at home but struggled away from Nationwide Arena in 2024-25. This season, they’ve flipped the script. With Tuesday’s win, the Blue Jackets improved to 4-1-0 on the road compared to just 1-3-0 at home.
They’ve found ways to stay in games, grind out results, and get timely goals away from their own arena. Evason’s group looks more structured and confident in tough buildings early in the season.
The Blue Jackets will look to carry that success into a quick two-game homestand against the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues before heading out on a five-game road trip to New York and Western Canada.
It will be a quick turnaround as the Blue Jackets face the Maple Leafs Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena. Toronto is also on the second half of a back-to-back after a 4-3 home win over the Calgary Flames. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
