The Buffalo Sabres secured a 6-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings as Thomas Vanek hit a brace before picking up an injury that could sideline him for several weeks.

Vanek was on form in a comprehensive win for the Sabres but picked up an upper-body injury after hitting the end boards after converting his second goal of the contest.

Sabres coach coach Lindy Ruff confirmed Vanek would be out for "weeks" as a result of the unspecified injury.

The two teams exchanged power-play goals in the opening period as Buffalo's Drew Stafford and Detroit's Valtteri Filppula netted, but the Sabres stretched their legs with four goals in seven minutes to shatter their opponents.

Patrick Kaleta set the ball rolling with the Sabres' second at 6:03 before Vanek made it 3-1 and Clarke MacArthur added a fourth. Vanek hit his second and the Sabres' fifth at 12:46 before departing the ice.

Paul Gaustad got his first of the season in the third as the Sabres extended their lead to five, while Tomas Holmstrom hit Detroit's second midway through the final period.

The Calgary Flames threw away another lead as they went down to a 2-1 loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets - although this loss did not quite carry the same stigma as their spectacular capitulation against the Chicago Blackhawks 24 hours earlier.

Having slumped to a 6-5 loss at the hands of the Blackhawks on Monday having led 5-0, the Flames failed to pick themselves up with a much-needed win as goals from Anton Stralman and Kristian Huselius led the Blue Jackets to victory.

Curtis Glencross opened the scoring for Calgary in the opening period.

In the night's other game, the Colorado Avalanche beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Former Leafs star Darcy Tucker returned to haunt his former employers with a goal and assist as Toronto's winless start to the campaign continued.

Brett Clark, David Jones and John-Michael Liles claimed Colorado's other goals while Francois Beauchemin hit the Leafs' consolation.