BUFFALO, N.Y. — In a thrilling match on Monday night, Tage Thompson excelled with a pair of goals, lighting the way for the Buffalo Sabres to seize a 3-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers.
Thompson boosted his tally to a team-leading 33 goals this season. Joining the scoresheet, Alex Tuch also found the net, helping the Sabres snap a six-game losing skid characterized by a 0-5-1 record. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was solid between the pipes, notching 32 saves.
For the Oilers, both Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse managed to score, while star player Leon Draisaitl chipped in with two assists. The Oilers, however, have now tasted defeat in seven of their last ten outings. Stuart Skinner stopped 19 shots in net.
Draisaitl continued his point streak with a secondary assist on Nurse’s goal just 1:35 into the second period, extending his run to 15 games. Over this span, he has amassed 11 goals and 12 assists.
Takeaways
Sabres: After enduring recent setbacks on the road against the likes of Tampa Bay and Florida, Buffalo rebounded with determination against one of the top Western Conference contenders. The win on home ice provided a much-needed morale boost.
Oilers: Edmonton’s struggles mean they were unable to gain traction on the Pacific Division leaders, the Vegas Golden Knights, who maintain a four-point cushion.
Key moment
Luukkonen delivered a crucial glove save on Draisaitl with just under five minutes remaining in the third period, particularly during an Oilers’ power play, preserving Buffalo’s edge.
Key stat
Thompson has been a consistent performer, notching 16 points across his last 13 games, which includes 11 goals. He stands out on the Sabres lineup with five multigoal games this season.
Up next
Looking ahead, the Oilers will face off against New Jersey on Thursday, while the Sabres head to Detroit for a matchup on Wednesday.
