The Columbus Blue Jackets started the new year with a healthy Zach Werenski and a refreshing 5-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 3. The Sabres’ 10-game winning streak came to an end with their first loss under new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who was hired on Dec. 15 after serving over a decade as the Blue Jackets’ GM.

Still dealing with scattered injuries, the Blue Jackets got a boost when first-time Olympian and Jackets star defenseman Werenski made his return to the rink. He had missed the last four contests with an ankle injury, but made his presence felt immediately with assists on the Blue Jackets’ first and fifth goals.

“[I] just kept it simple,” Werenski said. “Haven’t played it a few weeks, so I’m shaking some rust off. The team’s been playing really well the last few games, so [I] just tried to add to that.”

Fourth-line center Brendan Gaunce helped kick off the first of three first-period goals. He regained possession for Columbus three minutes into the contest with pesky forechecking. The puck went to Boone Jenner down the ice, and Jenner found Denton Mateychuk, who fired a slap shot for the 1-0 lead.

After the Sabres evened the score with 8:34 remaining, the Blue Jackets played shorthanded. Kent Johnson was in the penalty box for hooking when Brendan Gaunce came through with a breakaway goal.

“I believe in myself,” Gaunce said about his regular play in the lineup. “I know I’m an NHL player and can contribute in certain ways. I’m confident right now in myself and I’m excited.”

The Blue Jackets killed over five minutes of penalties and scored once more before the period ended. Dmitri Voronkov tipped in a puck to cap off a persistent second-line shift in the offensive zone.

Instead of losing first-period momentum, the Jackets got another score from Mathieu Olivier in the middle of the second period. He batted around the puck at the center line and raced past two Sabres defenders, scoring with the back of his stick for his fourth goal of the season.

Despite leading in shot attempts, the Sabres struggled to put a puck through Jet Greaves, who had a clean slate in the second and third period and made 32 saves total.

“The box outs were good…the penalty kill was good, I think all those details are super important for the group and they were all great tonight,” Greaves said.

Up 4-1 in the third, the Jackets coasted and played clean defense. With a relatively comfortable lead, the fans at Nationwide Arena got some laughs in when Mason Marchment lost a blade on his skate. Lying on his stomach, he was towed back to the bench by his teammates.

Center Cole Sillinger put the score out of reach with an empty-net goal that he scored off a pass through the blue line from Mateychuk.

Playing second line, newly-acquired forward Danton Heinen skated 8:51 minutes with a +1 plus-minus rating in his first game with the Blue Jackets.

Along with draft capital, Heinen was in trade package received for sending forward Yegor Chinakhov to the Penguins.

Who was scratched for the Columbus Blue Jackets game against the Buffalo Sabres?

The Blue Jackets scratched two players, Sean Monahan and Dysin Mayo, ahead of the Sabres game Jan. 3.

Monahan was a late scratch for “maintenance” ahead of the Blue Jackets’ road game against the Senators Dec. 28 and has yet to return to the lineup. Mayo, a defenseman, remains on the roster because of Brendan Smith’s lower-body injury, but Mayo was scratched because of the return of Zach Werenski. Smith went on IR on Jan. 2.

Columbus Blue Jackets schedule 2025-26

October

Oct 9: @ Nashville, 2–1, LossOct 11: @ Minnesota, 7–4, WinOct 13: vs New Jersey, 3–2, LossOct 16: vs Colorado, 4–1, LossOct 18: vs Tampa Bay, 3–2, WinOct 21: @ Dallas, 5–1, WinOct 24: vs Washington, 5–1, LossOct 25: @ Pittsburgh, 5–4 SO, WinOct 28: @ Buffalo, 4–3 OT, WinOct 29: vs Toronto, 6–3, Win

November

Nov 1: vs St. Louis, 3–2, WinNov 2: @ Islanders, 3–2, LossNov 5: @ Calgary, 5–1, LossNov 8: @ Vancouver, 4–3, LossNov 10: @ Edmonton, 5–4 OT, LossNov 11: @ Seattle, 2–1 SO, WinNov 13: vs Edmonton, 5–4, WinNov 15: vs Rangers, 2–1 SO, LossNov 17: vs Montreal, 4–3 SO, WinNov 18: @ Winnipeg, 5–2, LossNov 20: @ Toronto, 3–2 OT, WinNov 22: @ Detroit, 4–3 OT, LossNov 24: @ Washington, 5–1, LossNov 26: vs Toronto, 2–1 OT, LossNov 28: vs Pittsburgh, 4–3 OT, Loss

December

Dec 1: @ New Jersey, 5–3, WinDec 4: vs Detroit, 6–5 SO, WinDec 6: @ Florida, 7–6 OT, LossDec 7: @ Washington, 2–0, LossDec 9: @ Carolina, 4–1, LossDec 11: vs Ottawa, 6–3, LossDec 13: vs Vegas, 3–2, LossDec 16: vs Anaheim, 4–3 OT, WinDec 18: vs Minnesota, 5–2, LossDec 20: @ Anaheim, 4-3 LossDec 22: @ Los Angeles, 3-2 WinDec 28: vs Islanders, 4-2 WinDec 29: @ Ottawa, 4-3 WinDec 31: vs New Jersey, 3-1 Loss

January

Jan 3: vs Buffalo, 5-1 WinJan 4: vs Pittsburgh, 3:00 PMJan 6: @ San Jose, 10:00 PMJan 8: @ Vegas, 10:00 PMJan 10: @ Colorado, 4:00 PMJan 11: @ Utah, 7:00 PMJan 13: vs Calgary, 7:00 PMJan 15: vs Vancouver, 7:00 PMJan 17: @ Pittsburgh, 7:00 PMJan 20: vs Ottawa, 7:00 PMJan 22: vs Dallas, 7:00 PMJan 24: vs Tampa Bay, 7:00 PMJan 26: vs Los Angeles, 7:00 PMJan 28: vs Philadelphia, 7:30 PMJan 30: @ Chicago, 8:30 PMJan 31: @ St. Louis, 7:00 PM

February

Feb 3: @ New Jersey, 7:00 PMFeb 4: vs Chicago, 7:00 PMFeb 26: @ Boston, 7:00 PMFeb 28: vs Islanders, 6:00 PM

March

March 2: @ Rangers, 7:00 PMMarch 3: vs Nashville, 7:00 PMMarch 5: vs Florida, 7:00 PMMarch 7: vs Utah, 7:00 PMMarch 10: @ Tampa Bay, 7:00 PMMarch 12: @ Florida, 7:00 PMMarch 14: @ Philadelphia, 7:30 PMMarch 17: vs Carolina, 7:00 PMMarch 19: vs Rangers, 7:00 PMMarch 21: vs Seattle, 5:00 PMMarch 22: @ Islanders, 7:00 PMMarch 24: @ Philadelphia, 7:00 PMMarch 26: @ Montreal, 7:00 PMMarch 28: vs San Jose, 5:00 PMMarch 29: vs Boston, 5:00 PMMarch 31: vs Carolina, 7:30 PM

April

April 2: @ Carolina, 7:00 PMApril 4: vs Winnipeg, 7:00 PMApril 7: @ Detroit, 7:00 PMApril 9: @ Buffalo, 7:00 PMApril 11: @ Montreal, 7:00 PMApril 12: vs Boston, 6:00 PMApril 14: vs Washington, 7:00 PM

This story was updated to add quotes.