The Buffalo Sabres used a dominant opening frame and steady finishing effort to secure a 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 1, 2025. Buffalo controlled the pace early, converted on special teams, and never allowed Winnipeg to fully settle into its game. Despite a push in the second period, the Jets couldn’t overcome the early three-goal hole.
Game Recap
Right from the start, Buffalo set a fast pace and pressured Winnipeg hard. It paid off when Jason Zucker found the loose puck in the crease and sent it home for a power-play goal, getting things started in the first period. That goal fired up the home crowd and put Winnipeg on the defensive.
Only 15 seconds later, the Sabres were up by two. Bowen Byram joined the attack and snapped a wrist shot past the Winnipeg goalie, making it 2-0. Those quick goals exposed Winnipeg’s early defensive weaknesses, while Buffalo’s passing looked sharp and on point.
Related: Projected Lineups for Jets vs Sabres – 12/1/25
Things got worse for the Jets with less than five minutes left in the period. Josh Norris scored on a nice backhand after a defensive lapse, extending the lead to 3-0. Buffalo outshot Winnipeg 14-8 in the first and totally controlled the special teams early on, setting the tone for the rest of the game and ended the night for Eric Comrie.
Winnipeg just didn’t seem ready at the start. They lost too many battles, and their defense was slow to react, putting them in catch-up mode right away. The Jets finally showed some life midway through the second period when Josh Morrissey hammered a slap shot from a distance, and Kyle Connor got a piece of it, sending it between the legs of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, cutting the lead to 3-1 in the second period.
For a few minutes, the Jets put a lot of pressure on Buffalo, forcing them to play defense. But the Sabres responded like a good team should. At 12:49, Alex Tuch scored on a quick wrist shot off the rush to make it 4-1 and quiet the Jets’ comeback attempt.
Buffalo barely outshot Winnipeg in the second (7-6), but the timing of their goals was key. Winnipeg couldn’t take advantage of their momentum, and Buffalo found a way to score before Winnipeg could gain any confidence. Any chance of a late Jets comeback was shut down early in the third. Just 41 seconds in, Norris snuck in alone and sent the puck behind Thomas Milic on his backhand for his second of the game, extending the lead to 5-1 in the third period.
From there, Buffalo went into defensive mode. They played disciplined, blocked shots, and forced Winnipeg to the outside. While the Jets had 10 shots in the third, most were from far out, making it an easy period for Buffalo’s goalie.
Winnipeg played physically, with more hits – 35 to 12 versus Buffalo – but couldn’t turn that into scoring chances. Meanwhile, the Sabres used their speed and puck control to run out the clock and secure a solid win. Buffalo had more shots (31-24) and won most of the faceoffs (52.3%). They also scored on the power play (1-for-3), while Winnipeg was 0-for-2. Even though they took fewer penalties, Buffalo stayed in control during important moments.
Winnipeg had a lot more hits and blocked shots, showing how much time they spent on defense. But Buffalo made fewer mistakes and took advantage of Winnipeg’s turnovers, which made all the difference. For Buffalo, this was a well-rounded performance with a good start, timely goals, and solid structure. The Sabres showed how dangerous they can be when they control the game and force other teams to chase them.
For Winnipeg, this game was another example of how costly slow starts can be. Their second-period push showed what they can do when they’re playing well, but coming back from a three-goal deficit against a confident team was too tough.
