(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of National Hockey League games on Wednesday:
Blue Jackets 5, Sabres 1
The Columbus Blue Jackets scored three second-period goals in a three-minute span and halted a two-game home losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets (6-3-0) extended their franchise-best start to the season with their first win during a four-game homestand that ends Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets.
Seth Jones had a goal and an assist, Oliver Bjorkstrand scored on a power play, and Nick Foligno, Matt Calvert and Josh Anderson added the other Columbus goals. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 34 saves.
The Sabres (3-6-2) had won two in a row but were thwarted in their bid for their first three-game winning streak since February. They were playing for the second straight night after beating the Detroit Wings 1-0 in Buffalo on Tuesday.
Blues 5, Flames 2
Alexander Steen had a goal and three assists, and Paul Stastny added a goal and an assist as the St. Louis Blues beat the Calgary Flames 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Jaden Schwartz, Alex Pietrangelo and Joel Edmundson also scored for the Blues (7-2-1), who improved to 3-0-0 at home. Goalie Jake Allen made 23 saves.
Mikael Backlund scored both Flames goals as Calgary (5-5-0) lost for the third time in four games.
Flames goalie Eddie Lack, playing for the first time this season, made 24 saves. It was his first career loss to the Blues after winning his previous six games against St. Louis.
It was Backlund’s 10th career multi-goal game.
Tkachuk finished with a pair of assists for the Flames.
