BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Jack Eichel isn't the only Buffalo Sabres rookie turning heads this season.

Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist to lead the Sabres to a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday. Reinhart's goal was his 20th of the season, making him and Eichel the first Sabres rookies to each score 20 goals since the 1974-75 season.

"Obviously it's exciting to be young and produce right away but I think it says a lot about the support I've had," Reinhart said. "I've been able to play with some pretty good players throughout this year. It says a lot about our group as well."

Reinhart was the second overall pick in 2014 while Eichel was taken second in 2015. Both players have excelled this year and have given the Sabres hope after two campaigns at the bottom of the league.

Nicolas Deslauriers and defenseman Zach Bogosian also scored for the Sabres (29-33-10). Chad Johnson made 32 saves.

Each of Reinhart's points against the Senators emphasized his strengths -- his vision and ease around the opposing the net.

Reinhart opened the scoring 2:07 into the game on the power play. After collecting a rebound beside the net, Reinhart's initial shot was stopped by Anderson's stick but the follow-up went in for his 20th goal of the season.

Reinhart's vision was on display for all to see on Buffalo's third goal, which came midway through the second on a tic-tac-toe passing sequence that featured both Reinhart and Eichel. Eichel fed Reinhart at the side of the Ottawa net, and Reinhart spotted a wide-open Bogosian to the right.

"You've seen that play five or six times this year where he's found the guy in the back door," Bogosian said. "Hasn't rushed the pass, just smart play right to the open guy. It was nothing surprising. I knew it was probably going to find me."

"He's a great playmaker," Deslauriers said of Reinhart. "Just him with Jack, they're connecting pretty good and it's fun to see that, young guys producing and they're playing really good. It's good for us and both of them are having a great season."

Alex Chiasson scored for the Senators (33-31-8), who had an uneven performance. Craig Anderson made 31 saves.

"Not good enough. Disappointing," Ottawa head coach Dave Cameron said. Didn't seem like we had a lot of energy tonight. I thought that we left a lot of rebounds around the net that we didn't get to and our special teams (struggled)."

One of the few Senators highlights came shortly after Reinhart's opening goal early in the first. Ottawa evened the score at 5:33 after Johnson gave up a poor rebound. Chiasson pounced on the loose puck for his sixth goal of the year.

Deslauriers made it 2-1 at 8:17 following a great setup by center Ryan O'Reilly. O'Reilly whipped a hard pass to the net from the outside of the right circle and Deslauriers had an easy tap-in for his sixth goal.

"When you play with Ryan, you know he's going to make that play and just one knee down and I didn't have to do much," Deslauriers said. "It just hit my blade and went in."

After Bogosian's goal gave Buffalo a two-goal lead, the Senators had a flicker of the hope 3:53 into the third when Scott Gomez appeared to get one back for Ottawa. Officials waved off Gomez's apparent goal off after ruling that it was illegally batted into the net by the center's right hand.

"Tough one. We need more pride," Chiasson said. "Need to battle a little hard. We're fighting for our life, for our playoff hope. Not the effort that's demanded of us."

NOTES: G Robin Lehner (ankle), D Carlo Colaiacovo (lower body), D Cody Franson (neck) and G Jason Kasdorf were scratched for the Sabres. Lehner missed the first half of the season due to a high ankle sprain and had been having some pain in recent days. ... D Mark Borowiecki (torn MCL), C Kyle Turris (high ankle sprain), D Patrick Wiercioch and LW Matt Puempel were scratched for the Senators. ... Earlier Friday, the Sabres recalled D Chad Ruhwedel and G Nathan Lieuwen from the AHL's Rochester Americans. It's Ruhwedel's first call-up of the season. ... This was the fourth and final meeting between the two teams this year.