EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers secured a 3-2 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leading the charge by netting two goals.

This win marks a significant improvement for Edmonton, as they have recorded a remarkable 21 wins, six losses, and one overtime loss in their last 28 outings.

With this success, they climbed to the top of the Pacific Division, now just one point ahead of the waiting Vegas Golden Knights.

In this match, the Oilers played without their captain, Connor McDavid, who was serving a three-game suspension for a cross-check against Conor Garland of the Vancouver Canucks from the previous week.

Jeff Skinner also contributed to the scoreboard for Edmonton, while goaltender Stuart Skinner impressed with 39 saves throughout the contest.

On the Sabres’ side, Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich each managed to find the back of the net. Despite their efforts, Buffalo suffered their fourth loss in five matches, with James Reimer stopping 31 shots in goal.

**Highlights from the Game**
This was the first start for Reimer since January 4, and prior to this game, he had a record of just 1-5-1 for the current season.

For the Oilers, Leon Draisaitl faced a rare off night, failing to score, which put an end to both his points streak of eight games and a 17-game scoring streak at home.

**Pivotal Moment**
With just 3:43 remaining in regulation, the Sabres seemed to have leveled the score, but the goal was disallowed as it was ruled that Kulich had kicked the puck into the net.

**Statistical Overview**
The Sabres struggled on the power play, going 0 for 3, while the Oilers managed to convert only once in their single power play opportunity, failing to score as well.

**Looking Ahead**
The Sabres are set to begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday evening against the Boston Bruins. Meanwhile, the Oilers will be back on the ice Monday night to face off against the Seattle Kraken.