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Pominville leads Buffalo past Columbus

Oct 28, 2011 - 3:50 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Jason Pominville scored twice and Thomas Vanek had three assists, as the Buffalo Sabres downed the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-2.

Brad Boyes and Patrick Kaleta both had a goal for the Sabres, who halted a two-game slide. Jhonas Enroth stopped 41 shots.

"We found a way. We're not too happy about the way we played, our effort," Pominville said.

Vinny Prospal and Fedor Tyutin scored for Columbus, which was coming off its first win of the season. Steve Mason made 22 saves.

"Sometimes you just don't get rewarded for effort," said Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski.

Buffalo grabbed a 1-0 lead late in the first period. A hooking penalty on the Blue Jackets' Aaron Johnson put the Sabres on the power play and Boyes took advantage, receiving a cross-ice pass from Vanek and one-timing a knuckler past Mason.

Vanek, who leads Buffalo with 14 points, set up Pominville early in the second period. His shot from the point deflected off of Mason and Pominville drove home the rebound for a 2-0 Sabres lead.

Columbus, which went winless over its first eight games of the season before defeating the Red Wings, 4-1, on Tuesday, would rally.

Later in the second, Prospal received an outlet pass from Antoine Vermette and fired a long wrister past Enroth to put the Blue Jackets on the board.

Midway through the third, Pominville made a diving deflection of a Samuel Pahlsson pass, but Tyutin secured the loose puck and poked it into the net for the game-tying goal.

With under six minutes remaining, the Sabres responded, as Kaleta played a pass off the boards and beat Mason with a backhander for his first goal of the season.

Vanek again connected with Pominville to cap the scoring late in the third. On the power play, Vanek carried the puck from behind the net and found Pominville for a one-time tally and a 4-2 decision.

Game Notes

Kaleta recorded his fifth career game-winning goal...This was the first meeting of the year between Buffalo and Columbus. The teams will meet again on November 25.