Columbus Blue Jackets — Buffalo Sabres: 6:3, NHL

Columbus Blue Jackets beat Buffalo Sabres 3:1 in their NHL opener on Thursday evening. The hosts took control from the opening exchanges and held on despite a determined second-half push from the visitors. It was a result that ended Buffalo's momentum after their commanding 5:1 victory over Columbus just nine days earlier.

And here's the thing — this was a different game from the one in September. Back then Buffalo worked the channels with confidence, but by then Columbus had begun to find their feet. They'd beaten Detroit 4:2 and Pittsburgh 4:0 in their previous outings, while the Sabres had lost both their last two before that win against the Jackets.

To be fair, Buffalo came back into it. They pressed higher and created opportunities, but Columbus were solid at the back and clinical when it mattered. The visitors finished strong but couldn't find the equaliser they needed.

Both sides remain level on zero points after one game each. The gap is still nothing, and that's how it should be at this stage of the season. What matters now is the pattern — Columbus have shown they can respond, and Buffalo will need to do better away from home.