Sabres 3, Ducks 0
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Goalie Chad Johnson made 44 saves to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.
Left winger Evander Kane, defenseman Jake McCabe and left winger Jamie McGinn scored for the Sabres (14-16-3), who had the upper hand throughout the game despite being outshot 44-22.
It was Johnson's first shutout of the season and fourth of his career.
Goalie John Gibson made 19 saves for the Ducks (11-14-5), who lost for the fifth time in their last eight games.
Kane opened the scoring off a deflection 2:36 into the second period. Center Jack Eichel spun behind the left circle and tossed a soft pass through the air to Kane at the side of the Anaheim crease, and the puck deflected off Kane's right foot and into the net for Kane's seventh goal of the season.
McCabe made it 2-0 with 6:25 remaining in the second period following a fine set-up by center Cal O'Reilly. O'Reilly lofted a cross-ice backhand pass to McCabe, who had plenty of open net to the short side for his third goal of the year. It was O'Reilly's first point as a Sabre and his first point in the NHL since February 2012. Cal O'Reilly is the brother of Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly.
McGinn made it 3-0 with 6:10 remaining in the third period. Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen made a deke through the right circle and his attempted pass found McGinn, who had an easy look for his seventh goal of the season.
The Ducks outshot the Sabres 12-0 through the first 11 minutes of the third period before Kane registered a shot on net for Buffalo.
NOTES: D Carlo Colaiacovo and LW Marcus Foligno were scratched for the Sabres. Foligno is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. ... Sabres C Tyler Ennis (upper body) is getting closer to returning and may play against Chicago on Saturday, Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma said. Ennis has not played since a 2-1 loss to St. Louis on Nov. 23. ... C Nate Thompson and D Korbinian Holzer were scratched for the Ducks. Thompson received a three-game suspension earlier in the week for an illegal hit to the head in Anaheim's 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 11. ... This was the first of two meetings between the Sabres and Ducks this season. They meet again on Feb. 24 in Anaheim.