Buffalo Sabres centre Josh Norris matched his career-best single game points total in the Sabres’ 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night, making a triumphant return to the lineup after sustaining an upper-body injury in the team’s season opener.
His first goal of the season came with 5:06 remaining in the first period on a backhand shot, assisted by Zach Benson and Tage Thompson. He added a backhand shot 41 seconds into the third, assisted by Benson and Rasmus Dahlin. Norris also recorded one assist to finish with three points.
Bowen Byram, Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch also scored for the Sabres (11-11-4) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 23 saves. Benson and Josh Doan added two assists each.
Winnipeg starting goalie Eric Comrie allowed three goals on 14 shots in the first period. Thomas Milic came out to start the second and made 15 saves the rest of the way for the Jets (13-12-0), which have lost five of their last six games.
Kyle Conner scored the lone goal for the Jets, tying Mark Scheifele for the team lead with 13.
It was Norris’ sixth three-point game and his first since Jan. 30 of last year against Washington while playing for Ottawa.
That same game was the last time he also had a goal and an assist in the opening period.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said Norris’ remarkable return wasn’t something that he anticipated.
“It’s speed combined with puck support,” Ruff said. “The puck support was real good, real evident it led to goals. It was a night where we were really connective.”
The 26-year-old Norris, a first-round draft pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2017, has struggled with injuries and appeared in only his fifth game with Buffalo since being acquired in a trade last season.
The Sabres are his first new team after spending parts of his first six season with the Senators. They have been waiting for him to take on a larger role, so this game could give him some much-needed momentum.
Norris was injured in the season-opening 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Oct. 9.
Winnipeg closes out its current five-game road trip against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
