Clifton's 1st goal helps Sabres edge Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS -- Connor Clifton ended a 71-game goal drought to help the Buffalo Sabres defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at Nationwide Arena on Friday.

Clifton broke a 1-1 tie at 3:05 of the third period with a shot from the right point that deflected off the shoulder of goalie Daniil Tarasov and fluttered into the net.

“I don’t think he (Tarasov) saw it and it ends up going in,” Clifton said. “He catches it if there’s no netfront presence there.”

Clifton's last goal was March 2, 2023, for the Boston Bruins against the Sabres.

“It’s always nice to contribute offensively,” he said. “I’ve got some chances, missed some chances and they just haven’t been going in. It’s just part of it. You don’t try to change anything. I don’t focus on it too much.”

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves for the Sabres (26-27-4), who have won three of four and five straight on the road.

“The guys were very intense,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “The pace was high. The compete was high. When we have those two things, things usually work out for the better.

“When you have three stars of the game and two of them are goaltenders, that tells you something. Both teams generated some chances. We generated a lot more and probably should have had a couple more (goals). That's the way it goes. As long as you have enough to win. I'm pretty happy with that.”

Tarasov made 35 saves for the Blue Jackets (18-28-10), who have lost four of six.

After winning 7-4 at the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, the Blue Jackets failed to win consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 22 and 24.

“We’ve got to try to find a groove and keep rolling every single game,” Columbus forward Johnny Gaudreau said. “Once you feel comfortable and confident as a team you have to do it again the next game. Obviously, we’re not there yet.”

Dmitri Voronkov’s power-play goal at 12:05 of the first period gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead. Kirill Marchenko was to the right of the net when he sent a goalmouth pass that Voronkov tapped in off the right pad of Luukkonen for his 15th goal.

But that was all the Blue Jackets would get.

“We did a good job defensively,” Luukkonen said. “It wasn’t a perfect game by any means but we kind of pushed them outside, we got sticks in their shooting lanes, put bodies in their shooting lanes.

“It was an important win. It’s kind of what we’ve been missing this year, winning these 2-1 games. Everybody played well.”

Zemgus Girgensons tied it at 16:16 with a shot through bodies from near the left wall. He has goals in two straight games.

“It's frustrating. It doesn't matter how you play,” Tarasov said. “The main thing is the result, and it was not that good tonight.”

The Blue Jackets went with the extra attacker with 3:30 left in the game and had two shots on goal.

“Pulling Tarasov at 3:30, if I thought we have a good chance to win those face-offs, I would pull [him] earlier,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said. “Stats are suggesting a little bit earlier is better than later.”

NOTES: Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin had 29:45 of ice time, marking the first time a Buffalo skater has played 29 or more minutes in five consecutive games since the NHL began tracking time on ice (1997-98). He did it in four consecutive games twice (Dec. 3-9, 2016; Jan. 20-26, 2017). … Gaudreau missed the morning skate because his wife, Meredith, gave birth to their second child and first son, Johnny Edward Gaudreau (20 inches; 7 pounds, 11 ounces), on Thursday night in Columbus.