In Buffalo, Jack Eichel was hooked down on a breakaway in overtime in Thursday night’s game with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers paid the price when Eichel potted the game winner on the ensuing penalty shot.
Sam Reinhart scored for the Sabres to force overtime in win over Oilers – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“Just try to score, honestly. Just come down, shoot it,” Eichel said. “I was fighting it a little bit tonight. So just come down, keep it simple, try to shoot the puck. It’s nice to see it go in.”
Edmonton held a 2-0 lead in the game and let it slip away.
Linus Ullmark made 25 saves to get the win.
Riley Sheahan and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins were the Oilers’ goal scorers.
“I liked [that] we played a strong first period, but I knew we were going to have to raise our level after that. We just didn’t,” Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said. “The game just kind of went along and we didn’t grab it. We gave up two goals where we got out-competed in front of our net. And you get yourself to overtime and anything can happen.”
Curtis Lazar cut the Oilers lead in half with a goal in the first period and Sam Reinhart got the game knotted and headed to extra time with a goal in the third period.
“I think we just stuck with the game plan,” Lazar said. “You never want to get down two goals at home but we rallied. As a team we’re trying to make a push. It’s that time of year, and tonight was a good start.”
[WATCH: All Oilers vs. Sabres highlights]
Mike Smith made 21 saves in the loss.
“It’s kind of the same story. We’re up 6-1, we gave up four goals last game,” Edmonton’s Connor McDavid said. “We’ve got to find a way to defend a lead better.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.