Columbus Blue Jackets preseason: Sean Monahan sparks late surge against Buffalo Sabres

Turnabout wasn’t fair play until the third period for the Blue Jackets on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena.

More: Columbus Blue Jackets overmatched in preseason opener against Buffalo Sabres

Despite dressing most of their projected NHL lineup against a Buffalo Sabres group comprised of AHL players and younger prospects, it took the Jackets most of the night to finally surge for a 6-3 victory that moved them to 3-1-0 in the preseason. It was the reverse of what happened Monday in Buffalo, when the Sabres iced their NHL lineup in a 6-1 victory at KeyBank Center against the prospect-laden Blue Jackets before traveling to Europe for the NHL's global series Oct. 4-5 against the New Jersey Devils.

“We were slow at the start, a little tentative, a little cute and Buffalo doesn’t have a full (NHL) roster there,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “It was a slow start, but what we enjoyed was how we gained momentum throughout the game ... and not just goals, but we played a way more intelligent game through the second and, obviously, in the third.”

After falling behind 2-0 in the second period, Columbus scored the next five goals to take control.

James van Riemsdyk started the run with a power-play goal late in the second, cutting it to 2-1, and Sean Monahan scored back-to-back goals in the third for a 3-2 lead. Jake Christiansen and Adam Fantilli — who had a hat trick Friday in the Jackets’ 8-4 road win against the Washington Capitals ― scored the next two in a span of 53 seconds blow the game open with a 5-2 margin. Including Monahan’s second goal, the Blue Jackets scored three times in a span of just 1:15 against goalie Felix Sandstrom, who allowed all five goals while splitting the game with Scott Ratzloff.

"It's nice to get in a game, getting some timing back and getting some action," Monahan said. "I don't think I played great, but you get some touches, timing and it's just nice to get out there and play."

Former Ohio State forward Mason Jobst cut the Jackets' lead to 5-3 with 6:14 left, but the Blue Jackets sealed it with 1:32 left on Cole Sillinger’s second empty-net goal in as many days. Elvis Merzlikins started for the Blue Jackets and made 28 saves while playing the entire game.

Former Blue Jackets forward Josh Dunne and Zach Metsa scored the first two goals for the Sabres, whose NHL team is in Europe preparing to play the New Jersey Devils Oct. 4-5 in the NHL's global series, which will officially start the regular season.

The Blue Jackets will practice Sunday and host the Capitals on Monday in their fifth of eight preseason games.

bhedger@dispatch.com

@BrianHedger

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets preseason: Sean Monahan sparks late surge against Buffalo Sabres