Sabres’ Power Play Fails Them in Season-Opening Loss to Blue Jackets
The Buffalo Sabres entered the 2026-27 season hoping for a much-improved power play.
Instead, their first game exposed many of the same problems they were hoping to eliminate.
Buffalo went 0-for-5 with the man advantage in Thursday’s season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets, including a lengthy five-on-three opportunity in the second period. The missed chances proved costly as Columbus pulled away for a 6-3 victory at Nationwide Arena.
Missed Opportunities on the Power Play
The Sabres had multiple opportunities to change the momentum, but they couldn’t capitalize.
Their most significant chance came early in the second period when Buffalo received a full two minutes with a two-man advantage. Despite establishing offensive-zone pressure, the Sabres were unable to find the back of the net.
Later in the game, with Buffalo trailing 4-3, another power play created a promising opportunity. Jack Quinn worked his way into the slot and appeared to have a chance to tie the game, but his backhand attempt struck the post.
Buffalo eventually finished the night without a power-play goal.
Columbus Was Missing Key Defensemen
The lack of production was particularly noticeable given the circumstances facing the Blue Jackets.
Columbus entered the opener without defensemen Ivan Provorov, Dante Fabbro and Damon Severson, leaving the club short-handed on the blue line.
Despite those absences, Columbus successfully killed all five of Buffalo’s power plays. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, converted two of their three opportunities with the extra attacker.
That special-teams difference became one of the defining factors of the game.
Blue Jackets Take Control After Early Buffalo Lead
Buffalo actually opened the scoring when Mattias Samuelsson’s shot found its way through traffic early in the first period.
Columbus responded with three consecutive goals before the opening period ended, including Matthew Knies’ first goal as a Blue Jacket on the power play.
Knies went on to have a memorable debut after arriving from Toronto earlier in the week. He scored twice and added an assist, becoming the first Columbus player to record two goals in his Blue Jackets debut.
The Sabres battled back twice, with Jack Quinn and Konsta Helenius cutting the deficit, but they could never complete the comeback.
Sean Monahan’s third-period power-play goal restored Columbus’ two-goal advantage before Mathieu Olivier sealed the result with an empty-net goal.
Special Teams Will Need Attention
Buffalo did generate opportunities, but converting them will be crucial if the Sabres want their power play to become a strength this season.
The Blue Jackets demonstrated the difference by scoring twice on their three power-play chances while keeping Buffalo scoreless on all five of its opportunities.
For the Sabres, the season is only one game old, but Thursday’s loss provided an early reminder that creating chances and actually converting them are two very different things.
Buffalo will now look to regroup before its home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
