COLUMBUS — Jeff Skinner had a goal and two assists for the Buffalo Sabres in a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Friday.
Casey Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist, and Devon Levi made 29 saves for the Sabres (42-33-7), who won five of their final six games.
Tyler Angle had his first NHL goal in his second NHL game for the Blue Jackets (25-48-9), who were 1-4-1 in the past six games to finish 31st in the NHL.
Jon Gillies allowed three goals on 27 shots in the first two periods before leaving with a lower-body injury. Michael Hutchinson made six saves in relief.
Johnny Gaudreau gave Columbus a 1-0 lead 34 seconds into the first period, scoring from the right on the rebound of a Tim Berni shot.
Skinner tied it 1-1 at 8:36 of the second period, one-timing a left-to-right seam pass by Mittelstadt for his 25th goal.
Victor Olofsson gave Buffalo a 2-1 lead at 12:35 with a shot from the slot for his 28th goal.
Alex Tuch extended the lead to 3-1 at 14:01. Skinner won the draw and Tuch avoided several poke checks to score his 36th goal with a snap shot from the right circle.
Angle cut it to 3-2 at 18:24 before Mittelstadt scored at 4:03 of the third period to make it 4-2 after Skinner created a turnover and passed to him at the crease.
Peyton Krebs scored at 17:27 for the 5-2 final.
Sabres forward Tage Thompson, who scored five of his 47 goals against the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Dec. 7, did not play because of an upper- body injury.
