In his return to the Sabres line-up, Josh Norris had two goals and an assist as Buffalo crushed the visiting Winnipeg Jets 5-1 Monday night.
Jason Zucker, Bowen Byram, and Alex Tuch also scored for the Sabres. Josh Doan and Zach Benson chipped in two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 stops.
Kyle Connor was the lone goal scorer for the Jets. Backstopping for Winnipeg, Eric Comrie made 11 saves and Thomas Milic made 15.
The Sabres set the tone early, striking on the power play to open a dominant first period. Zucker pounced on a loose puck in front and stuffed it past Comrie just 2:46 into the game.
Buffalo doubled the lead only 15 seconds later when Byram jumped into the rush and wired a shot into the net to make it 2-0. Comrie surrendered two goals on the first three shots he faced.
Norris, who was activated before the game after missing every contest since Buffalo’s season opener on Oct. 9 against the Rangers, pushed the lead to 3-0 at 14:54. Norris walked out from the side of the net and jammed the puck home.
Milic replaced Comrie to start the second period in net for Winnipeg.
The Jets finally got on the board at 11:26 of the second period, when Connor batted a shot from the top of the crease that trickled over the line to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Sabres would quickly restore their three-goal cushion just 1:23 later. Tuch drove the net and buried his own rebound from a sharp angle, pushing the lead to 4-1.
Just 41 seconds into the final frame, Norris was sprung on a breakaway and buried his second of the game, extending Buffalo’s advantage to 5-1. That would hold to be the final score.
