CBJ 6–3 BUF

Final · W

Blue Jackets/Schedule/Recap Thu, Oct 1, 2026 · 2026-27 regular season

Columbus Blue Jackets

CBJ · 1-0-0

6–3

FinalW

Buffalo Sabres

BUF · 0-1-0

1ST2ND3RDT CBJ 381628622 BUF 1621307326 goals · shots on goal

Season opener for both teams ·First meeting this season — the Blue Jackets lead the season series 1–0

CBJ 1-0-0 · BUF 0-1-0 · First meeting this season — the Blue Jackets lead the season series 1–0

Blue Jackets beat the Sabres

The Blue Jackets earned it: 2.9 expected goals to 2.0, and a 6–3 win to show for it. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed 2.5 more goals than expected from the shots he faced.

▶ Recap ↗ ▶ Condensed game ↗

Video opens on NHL.com.

★ NHL first starMatthew Knies

CBJ · LW · #89 2 G · 1 A · 3 P

Who had the better chances

The Blue Jackets created the better chances: 2.9 expected goals to 2.0, on 22 and 26 shots on goal.

CBJ 2.9 xG · 22 shots BUF 2.0 xG · 26 shots

0

1

2

3

1st · the swing 1.6 · 0.6

2nd 0.6 · 1.2

3rd 0.7 · 0.2

Tap a numbered goal to see how it happened.

Deserve to winReplay this game 100 times with average goalies and the Blue Jackets win 65.

CBJ 65%BUF 35%

Goals and penalties

9 goals · 10 penalties

← Blue Jackets shoot this way Sabres shoot this way →

On net Missed Bigger = better chance 1Goal, numbered to the list

1st period

PEN

06:05

Carson Soucy· Cross-checking

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

06:40

Tage Thompson· Hooking

Killed

2 min
Minor

1

07:21

Mattias Samuelsson

Noah Ostlund, Owen Power · snap shot, a good chance (11%)

0–1 ▶ Watch ↗

2

12:51

Cole Sillinger

Charlie Coyle, Denton Mateychuk · snap shot, a great chance (31%)

1–1 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

17:03

Mattias Samuelsson· Holding

Knies scored on this power play

2 min
Minor

3

17:58

Matthew Knies PPGWG

Charlie Coyle, Zach Werenski · Power play (Samuelsson, holding) · snap shot, a great chance (37%)

2–1 ▶ Watch ↗

4

18:44

Adam Fantilli

Zach Werenski, Matthew Knies · deflected shot, a low-percentage shot (9%) that found a way in

3–1 ▶ Watch ↗

2nd period

5

01:25

Jack Quinn

Zach Benson, Noah Ostlund · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (8%) that found a way in

3–2 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

03:58

Cole Sillinger· Hooking

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

03:58

Mathieu Olivier· Unsportsmanlike conduct

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

03:58

Zach Metsa· Fighting

Offsetting

5 min
Major

PEN

03:58

Mathieu Olivier· Fighting

Offsetting

5 min
Major

6

07:45

Matthew Knies GWG

Emil Andrae, Kent Johnson · tip in shot, a good chance (19%)

4–2 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

11:06

Kent Johnson· Hooking

Killed

2 min
Minor

7

13:14

Konsta Helenius

Ryan McLeod, Owen Power · snap shot, a good chance (11%)

4–3 ▶ Watch ↗

3rd period

PEN

09:10

Cole Sillinger· Slashing

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

12:23

Mattias Samuelsson· Tripping

Monahan scored on this power play

2 min
Minor

8

14:21

Sean Monahan PP

Valeri Nichushkin, Dmitri Voronkov · Power play (Samuelsson, tripping) · snap shot, a good chance (20%)

5–3 ▶ Watch ↗

9

17:53

Mathieu Olivier EN

Charlie Coyle · wrist shot, into an empty net

6–3 ▶ Watch ↗

NHL three stars

the league's pick

Matthew Knies

CBJ · LW · #89 2 G · 1 A · 3 P2G 1A ★ 2nd star

Zach Werenski

CBJ · D · #8 0 G · 2 A · 2 P0G 2A ★ 3rd star

Charlie Coyle

CBJ · C · #3 0 G · 3 A · 3 P0G 3A

Goaltending

Jet Greaves

CBJ

+0.2

vs expected

23/26 saves · 3 GA · 3.2 xGA Gave up about what the shots he faced would predict.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

BUF

−2.5

vs expected

16/21 saves · 5 GA · 2.5 xGA Allowed 2.5 more goals than expected from the shots he faced.

Team CBJBUF

Shots on goal

22

26

Expected goals

2.9

2.0

Hits

0

0

Blocks

0

0

Faceoffs

58%

42%

Power play

2/3

0/3

Penalty minutes

15

11

The Blue Jackets went 2-for-3 on the power play and killed all 3 Sabres power plays.

Box score

xG and GSAx are Inside the Game numbers

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
3Charlie CoyleC. CoyleC	0	3	3	+2	0	0	0	0	19:04	26	47%	0	1	1	0.0
19Adam FantilliA. FantilliC	1	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	17:28	26	80%	0	0	1	0.1
89Matthew KniesM. KniesLW	2	1	3	0	0	4	0	0	16:06	24	—	1	1	1	1.1
43Valeri NichushkinV. NichushkinRW	0	1	1	−1	0	0	0	0	15:45	22	—	0	0	0	0.0
23Sean MonahanS. MonahanC	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	15:31	24	40%	1	1	0	0.2
4Cole SillingerC. SillingerC	1	0	1	+2	4	3	0	0	15:21	22	100%	0	2	0	0.7
91Kent JohnsonK. JohnsonC	0	1	1	0	2	1	0	0	14:53	22	—	0	0	0	0.0
24Mathieu OlivierM. OlivierRW	1	0	1	+2	7	3	0	0	14:32	21	—	0	0	0	0.2
58Danton HeinenD. HeinenLW	0	0	0	−1	0	2	0	0	12:11	17	40%	0	0	1	0.3
83Conor GarlandC. GarlandRW	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12:09	19	—	0	1	0	0.1
10Dmitri VoronkovD. VoronkovLW	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	10:44	14	—	0	0	0	0.0
94Ryan LombergR. LombergLW	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9:21	14	—	0	0	0	0.0

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
8Zach WerenskiZ. WerenskiD	0	2	2	+2	0	3	0	0	28:46	32	—	0	2	2	0.0
5Denton MateychukD. MateychukD	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	27:28	30	—	0	1	0	0.1
7Carson SoucyC. SoucyD	0	0	0	+1	2	2	0	0	20:15	29	—	0	0	0	0.1
44Erik GudbransonE. GudbransonD	0	0	0	−1	0	0	0	0	17:44	21	—	0	1	0	0.0
36Emil AndraeE. AndraeD	0	1	1	+1	0	0	0	0	15:37	19	—	0	0	0	0.0
2Jake ChristiansenJ. ChristiansenD	0	0	0	−1	0	0	0	0	7:05	11	—	0	2	0	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
73Jet GreavesJ. GreavesG	23	26	3	.885	17/20	5/5	1/1	60:00	✓	+0.2

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
22Jack QuinnJ. QuinnRW	1	0	1	−1	0	4	0	0	20:46	23	—	0	1	0	0.5
72Tage ThompsonT. ThompsonC	0	0	0	0	2	4	0	0	19:46	26	43%	0	1	0	0.0
91Josh DoanJ. DoanRW	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	19:06	26	50%	0	1	1	0.7
6Zach BensonZ. BensonLW	0	1	1	−1	0	1	0	0	18:34	21	—	0	1	0	0.0
86Noah OstlundN. OstlundC	0	2	2	+1	0	3	0	0	16:42	22	54%	0	0	0	0.0
71Ryan McLeodR. McLeodC	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	16:41	25	40%	0	1	0	0.0
9Josh NorrisJ. NorrisC	0	0	0	+1	0	1	0	0	16:19	22	71%	0	0	0	0.0
94Konsta HeleniusK. HeleniusC	1	0	1	+2	0	2	0	0	15:09	21	—	0	0	0	0.2
19Peyton KrebsP. KrebsC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	14:58	22	—	0	1	0	0.1
20Jiri KulichJ. KulichC	0	0	0	−2	0	1	0	0	8:45	17	20%	0	0	0	0.0
29Beck MalenstynB. MalenstynLW	0	0	0	−2	0	1	0	0	8:11	17	—	0	1	0	0.0
10Sam CarrickS. CarrickC	0	0	0	−2	0	0	0	0	7:43	17	40%	0	1	0	0.0

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
26Rasmus DahlinR. DahlinD	0	0	0	−1	0	4	0	0	25:58	28	—	0	0	0	0.4
25Owen PowerO. PowerD	0	2	2	+2	0	0	0	0	25:25	28	—	0	2	0	0.0
23Mattias SamuelssonM. SamuelssonD	1	0	1	−2	4	1	0	0	18:21	26	—	0	2	0	0.1
46Louis CrevierL. CrevierD	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	16:14	24	—	0	2	1	0.0
24Matt GrzelcykM. GrzelcykD	0	0	0	−1	0	0	0	0	14:27	22	—	0	0	0	0.0
73Zach MetsaZ. MetsaD	0	0	0	−1	5	0	0	0	12:54	21	—	0	1	0	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
1Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenU. LuukkonenG	17	22	5	.773	12/15	4/6	1/1	59:08	✓	−2.5

EV / PP / SH = saves on shots at even strength, on the opponent's power play, and shorthanded. GS = started. A dash means the stat isn't on file for that player or game. Showing the short set. Tap "All columns" to scroll through every stat inside this card.

Last night's Cap Challenge

4 squads played

RO

PointsRyan Otto

7 pts · $32.4M

RO

GoalsRyan Otto

2 goals · $32.4M

RO

GoaliesRyan Otto

36 saves · $7.0M

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was on 1 squad. Build tonight's squad → See the leaderboards →