At the Horn

The Buffalo Sabres lost 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday at Rogers Place.

With the game tied 2-2, Buffalo outshot Edmonton 11-1 to start the third period before Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored his second goal of the game, giving the Oilers their first lead of the afternoon. That tally was ultimately the game winner as the Sabres concluded their road trip with a 1-3-0 record.

Alex Tuch scored his 16th goal of the season for Buffalo and Jiri Kulich his ninth.

After missing three games with an injury, Sabres forward Ryan McLeod returned to the lineup to face his former team for the first time and skated 19:00.

Jason Zucker, who’d missed two games due to illness, also returned. He recorded an assist and three shots on goal in 15:05 of ice time.

Sabres goaltender James Reimer made his first start since Jan. 4 and stopped 31 of 34 shots.

Former Sabres forward Jeff Skinner also scored for Edmonton, while goalie Stuart Skinner made 39 saves on 41 shots. Those 41 shots were Buffalo’s second most in a game this season.

The Oilers were without forward Connor McDavid as he served the final game of a three-game suspension.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

Tage Thompson had a prime scoring opportunity on the opening shift as he received a pass from Kulich alone in front. The puck was loose in the crease after Stuart Skinner’s initial stop, but Thompson’s momentum had taken him out of the play and prevented a second chance.

The Sabres didn’t tally an official shot on goal until their first power play 11 minutes in, during which they got two shots but didn’t score.

Zucker was denied on a breakaway chance after winning the race to a loose puck. He notched a primary assist on that same shift at 16:28, though, as Tuch gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead.

Jeff Skinner tied the game for Edmonton just 16 seconds later, scoring on the rebound of Ty Emberson’s one timer from up high.

Shortly after, Reimer prevented a breakaway with a diving pokecheck but inadvertently fed the puck to Nugent-Hopkins. Owen Power stepped in front of the open net to block Nugent-Hopkins’ shot and preserve the 1-1 tie.

The Oilers led 21-10 in shot attempts and 12-5 in shots on goal during the opening 20.

Alex Tuch opens the scoring

Second Period

Mattias Samuelsson drew a Zach Hyman hook, giving Buffalo its second man advantage of the game.

Stuart Skinner made seven saves during a relentless Sabres power play. Moments after Hyman exited the box, however, Kulich rocketed home a one timer off Power’s cross-zone feed to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead at 7:46.

Edmonton failed to score on its first power play midway through the period, and the best chance belonged to Buffalo’s Beck Malenstyn, who hit the post on a shorthanded breakaway. Then Peyton Krebs had a breakaway out of the box but was denied by Stuart Skinner.

Nugent-Hopkins tied the game 2-2 at 13:20, depositing a loose puck following Kasperi Kapanen’s wraparound attempt.

The Sabres outshot Edmonton 17-16 in the period and held a 7-4 edge in high-danger scoring chances, per Natural Stat Trick.

Jiri Kulich gives the Sabres a 2-1 lead

Third Period

A Kapanen hooking penalty gave Buffalo an early-period power play. Thompson had a couple great scoring chances on the unsuccessful man advantage.

Nugent-Hopkins gave Edmonton a 3-2 lead at 8:59, receiving Darnell Nurse’s cross-crease pass and beating Reimer.

Kulich appeared to tie the game with less than four minutes remaining, but a review determined he’d kicked the puck into the net and the goal was disallowed.

Buffalo pulled Reimer around the 18:00 mark. Leon Draisaitl missed a shot at the open net but the Sabres couldn’t tie it in the final minute.

The Sabres couldn't counter Nugent-Hopkins' goal despite outshooting the Oilers 19-7 in the third period.

UP NEXT

The Sabres return home to face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Tickets are available here.

Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. with puck drop scheduled for 7.