The Columbus Blue Jackets bid to win their fourth straight road game on Tuesday when they visit the Buffalo Sabres.
The Blue Jackets continued to feel at home on the road with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. They are 3-1-0 away from Columbus this season after posting a 14-23-4 record on the road in 2024-25.
The Blue Jackets finished two points out of a wild-card spot last season.
A winner in three of its last four games overall, Columbus also showed resolve after dropping a 5-1 decision against the Washington Capitals on Friday. That was the first of 15 sets of back-to-back games for the Blue Jackets this season.
“Look, we want to be a team that’s hard to play against on the road or at home. We’re not going to change the way we play,” Columbus captain Boone Jenner said. “Back-to-back or not, we have lots of energy. You saw it (on Saturday). I don’t think playing (Friday) night affected us at all. We just wanted to come out with a good effort, and I think we did that.”
Dmitri Voronkov scored two goals on Saturday to extend his point streak to four games (three goals, two assists). He has recorded at least a point in seven of eight games this season and shares the team lead in both goals (five) and assists (four).
Yegor Chinakhov and Charlie Coyle added their first goals of the season on Saturday.
“I like scoring,” Chinakhov said. “It feels great. I love the hockey, so I just try to be better every day.”
Elvis Merzlikins made 26 saves to improve to 3-0-0 on the road this season.
Jet Greaves, however, is in line to get the start if head coach Dean Evason adheres to his pattern of alternating between his netminders.
“They’ve both been fantastic, just getting prepared,” Evason said, per The Athletic. “If they get asked to stop pucks that night and help the team win, they’ve both done it.”
The Sabres have rebounded from losing their first three games of the season to collect at least a point in five of their last six contests (4-1-1).
Tage Thompson followed up his goal in Friday’s 5-3 victory over the Maple Leafs at home by scoring twice in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime setback in Toronto.
“I liked our game, and I think we’ve got to continue to do the things that are getting us to this point,” Thompson said. “Obviously, you want the two points, but overall, we can be really happy with our effort in the last two games.”
Thompson is tied for the team lead in both goals (four) and points (eight) for Buffalo, which carries a four-game home winning streak into the encounter with Columbus.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 18 shots in his season debut after missing the first eight games with a lower-body injury. He might get the call again with rookie goaltender Colten Ellis nursing a back injury.
