Sabres trail just once, but lose 3-2 in Edmonton

Edmonton, Alberta (WGR Sports Radio 550/WBEN) - The Buffalo Sabres had a chance to split the Pacific Northwest four-game road trip with a win in Edmonton on Saturday. Unfortunately, the team only ever trailed during the most important part of the game - the last of it. The Oilers hung on to win 3-2 over the blue and gold inside Rogers Place.

Both teams found the back of the net once in opening period in Edmonton. It was the Sabres who opened the scoring with 3:32 left in the frame, courtesy of a snapshot from Alex Tuch in close.

In concerning fashion, though, the team's trend of immediately coughing up a lead reared its ugly head 17-seconds later. Former Sabres forward Jeff Skinner was left all alone in front of James Reimer, and put home a rebound to tie the score for the Oilers.

The Sabres dominated play to start the second period, especially the first eight-minutes. One of the team's 13-shots in that timespan found the back of the net.

Just as a powerplay opportunity expired, Owen Power located Jiri Kulich on his off-wing and Kulich blasted the go-ahead goal to make it 2-1 Buffalo.

Edmonton answered back about six-minutes later. Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen put the moves on to the right of Reimer, and skated behind the goal before putting the puck on the net. A rebound leaked out for forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who made it all even again at 2-2.

In the third period, with 11-minutes left in regulation, the Sabres allowed the go-ahead goal. It was the first time the team trailed on the scoreboard all afternoon.

Nugent-Hopkins, after dishing a pass for his defensemen to re-position, crept down the slot and accepted the puck from Darnell Nurse. Nugent-Hopkins fired home his second goal of the game and gave Edmonton the 3-2 edge.

That goal proved to be the eventual-game winner. For a moment, it appeared as if the Sabres tied the game back up later on, but what would've been Kulich's second goal of the contest was overturned by review. Officials determined the puck was kicked in behind netminder Stuart Skinner.

The blue and gold wrap up the trip having attained only two of the possible eight points up for grabs in the Pacific Northwest.

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SCORING RECAP

First Period
BUF: 16:28 - Alex Tuch (16) (Jason Zucker, Jacob Bryson)
EDM: 16:45 - Jeff Skinner (8) (Ty Emberson)

Second Period:
BUF: 7:46 - Jiri Kulich (9) (Owen Power, Dylan Cozens)
EDM: 13:20 - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (14) (Kasperi Kapanen, Mattias Ekholm)

Third Period:
BUF: NONE
EDM: 8:59 - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (15) (Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard)

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STATS OF THE GAME

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Three Stars of the Game:

1. Stuart Skinner - EDM
2. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - EDM
3. Jiri Kulich - BUF

What's Next:

It's time to come back home to Buffalo for the blue and gold. On Tuesday night, the team hosts the Boston Bruins inside KeyBank Center. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST with Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray on the call.