Edmonton, Alberta (WGR 550) - After holding on to a 3-2 lead late in the second period, the Buffalo Sabres imploded with six unanswered goals given up to close an 8-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at Rogers Place.
The Sabres opened the scoring nice and early, and it came thanks to an incredible effort from Alex Tuch. With one hand on his stick, the winger shoveled a pass to JJ Peterka, who was left all alone in front of Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner.
With 7:23 remaining in the opening period, the Sabres thought they had taken a 2-0 lead over Edmonton with a goal from defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. However, an Oilers challenge for offside negated that, as both Victor Olofsson and Lukas Rousek were in across the Edmonton blue line before Owen Power carried the puck into the zone.
Later in the first period, though, the Sabres did manage to double their edge to 2-0 when Olofsson tallied his seventh-goal of the campaign.
Edmonton was able to slash its deficit in half before period's end. On a late power play, forward Leon Draisaitl netted his 35th goal for the NHL's fourth-best man advantage unit, as his shot just snuck its way through Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
In the early stages of the second, the Oilers pulled even, as defenseman Mattias Ekholm scored four-and-a-half minutes into the frame by using Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram as a screen in front of Luukkonen.
The Sabres got the all-important next goal to re-claim its lead in the waning moments of the middle stanza.
After a tremendous pinch by defenseman Connor Clifton to keep offensive possession, he fed Peterka for his second goal of the evening, and the forward's 23rd tally of the year.
Buffalo's lead did not last long, though.
Edmonton's net-front expert, forward Zach Hyman, was able to deflect a point shot from Ekholm into the net for his 47th goal of the season to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the second intermission.
The third period was all Edmonton.
The Oilers dictated play from the jump, and potted five more goals to stack on top of Edmonton's tying goal at the end of the second.
Goals from the Oilers in the final frame came off the sticks of defenseman Darnell Nurse, Ekholm, Hyman, and forwards Ryan McLeod and Connor Brown, in that order.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 1:38 - JJ Peterka (22) (Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson); 16:34 - Victor Olofsson (7) (Bowen Byram, Lukas Rousek)
EDM: 18:55 - Leon Draisaitl (35) PPG (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evan Bouchard)
Second Period:
BUF: 16:56 - JJ Peterka (23) (Connor Clifton)
EDM: 4:26 - Mattias Ekholm (6) (Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard); 19:12 - Zach Hyman (47) (Mattias Ekholm, Connor McDavid)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
EDM: 4:38 - Darnell Nurse (9) (Troy Stecher); 5:40 - Mattias Ekholm (7) (Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid); 15:18 - Zach Hyman (48) (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl); 16:58 - Ryan McLeod (12) (Connor Brown); 19:50 - Connor Brown (2) (Sam Carrick, Cody Ceci)
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Losi & Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Mattias Ekholm - EDM
2.) Connor McDavid - EDM
3.) Leon Draisaitl - EDM
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What's next:
The Sabres wrap up their Western Canada road trip on Sunday night when they visit the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET with pregame coverage on WGR with Brian Koziol and Paul Hamilton starting at 8 p.m. ET.