(WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres had high hopes when they hit the road on Saturday for their five-game road trip. Buffalo landed in Detroit, riding a three-game winning streak and were in position to keep climbing the Eastern Conference standings.
Instead, they’ve lost 3-of-4 games, and got run out of Edmonton on Thursday in an 8-3 loss to the Oilers.
This game wasn’t all bad until the team quit for the final 4:42, giving up three easy goals to the Oilers and hanging Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen out to dry.
Buffalo got out to a 2-0 lead, and also had a goal by Rasmus Dahlin disallowed due to an offside call.
It only took 1:38 for JJ Peterka to be left alone in front, and for Alex Tuch to find him to make it 1-0.
After the disallowed goal, Bo Byram found Victor Olofsson in front of the Oilers net. Olofsson spun around and used Tyson Jost in front of goalie Stuart Skinner to make it 2-0, Buffalo.
Before the period was over, Leon Draisaitl’s shot on the power play was partially stopped by Luukkonen, but it got past him to cut into Buffalo's lead.
The Oilers tied it in the second, but Peterka scored again on a great read by Connor Clifton, who set him up in front of the Edmonton net.
Before the period was over, though, Zach Hyman deflected a shot that was waist-high to make it 3-3 after 40 minutes.
With the Detroit Red Wings already beating the New York Islanders earlier in the evening, the Sabres were tied and needed to get through the third to, at least, get it to overtime.
However, Edmonton scored two goals in 1:02 to take a 5-3 lead at the 5:40 mark, and things only got worse-and-worse for the Sabres as the period went on.
It almost seemed like the finality of the playoff race all of a sudden set in, and the team stopped playing.
The most goals Luukkonen had given up in a game this season was six on Nov. 30 against the St. Louis Blues. He hadn’t given up five goals in a game since Dec. 19 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, when he had five scored on him in 32:12 of work.
The loss now has the Sabres seven points back of the Red Wings for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Detroit also holds a game in-hand on Buffalo.
Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals remain four points up on the Sabres, the Islanders are up two points on Buffalo, and the New Jersey Devils are one point ahead.
What makes this loss pretty much the end for Buffalo is the Sabres only have one game in the next five days, which is Sunday in Calgary against the Flames. All they can do is watch the teams in front of them play games, and likely pick up points.