Sabres Seek Home Win Over Struggling Blue Jackets

Buffalo looks to extend home dominance against Columbus in key late-season matchup.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:35am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with overlapping planes of blue, red, and yellow representing the teams' uniforms and the dynamic action on the ice.The Sabres' home dominance and the Blue Jackets' recent struggles set the stage for a key late-season NHL matchup at KeyBank Center.Columbus Today

The Buffalo Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets in a key late-season NHL matchup at KeyBank Center. Buffalo has won 11 straight home games following a road victory and looks to continue its strong play at home against a struggling Columbus squad that has lost 7 of its last 9 games.

Why it matters

This game has significant playoff implications, as the Sabres are fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference while the Blue Jackets are clinging to faint postseason hopes. Buffalo has been one of the league's most consistent teams all season, while Columbus has faltered down the stretch.

The details

The Sabres are led by Tage Thompson's 38 goals and Rasmus Dahlin's 53 assists, and they have a strong goaltending tandem in Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Blue Jackets are paced by Kirill Marchenko's 26 goals and Zach Werenski's 58 assists, but they have struggled defensively, allowing over 3 goals per game.

  • The Sabres beat the Lightning and Rangers in their last two games.
  • The Blue Jackets lost to the Jets, beat the Red Wings, and play the Habs next.
  • This is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Sabres.

The players

Tage Thompson

The Sabres' leading goal scorer with 38 on the season.

Rasmus Dahlin

Buffalo's top playmaker with 53 assists.

Kirill Marchenko

The Blue Jackets' leading goal scorer with 26 tallies.

Zach Werenski

Columbus' top distributor with 58 assists.

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What’s next

The winner of this game will take a big step towards securing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The takeaway

This matchup features two teams heading in opposite directions, with the surging Sabres looking to take care of business at home against the struggling Blue Jackets. Buffalo's strong home record and Columbus' recent woes make the Sabres the clear favorites in this late-season clash.