Ryan Nugent-Hopkins rallies Oilers past Sabers 3-2

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice to help the Edmonton Oilers rally for a 3-2 victory against the visiting Buffalo Sabers on Saturday.

Jeff Skinner added a goal in his first game against the Sabers since the club bought out his contract during the season, and Stuart Skinner made 39 saves. Edmonton is 10-3-0 since December 31st.

Alex Tuch and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, who finished a four-game road trip 1-3-0. James Reimer made 31 saves for Buffalo.

Tuch gave the Sabers a 1-0 lead at 16:28 of the first period. Jason Zucker, back in the lineup after missing two games due to illness, took the puck to the left wall and sent a cross-ice flow to Tuch, who snapped it short from the right circle.

Skinner tied it 1-1 just 17 seconds later. Reimer stopped Ty Emberson’s shot from above the left circle, but the rebound popped out in front and Skinner pushed it past Reimer’s right skate at 16:45.

The Sabers outscored the Sabers in the second, putting up 13 shots in the first eight minutes, including one to take the lead.

Kulich took advantage of a strong shift on the power play to put Buffalo ahead 2-1 at 7:46 of the second period five seconds after the man advantage expired. Kulich took a feed from Owen Power at the top of the right circle and one-timed a shot inside the near post.

Buffalo had their chances to extend it a few minutes later when Beck Malenstyn hit the post on a short-handed breakaway and Peyton Krebs was denied by Skinner on a breakaway out of the box.

Nugent-Hopkins pulled the Oilers even at 13:20 of the middle period. Reimer held on to Kasperi Kapanen’s cover and Nugent-Hopkins squeezed in the rebound at the door to tie it 2-2.

Nugent-Hopkins put Edmonton ahead 3-2 at 8:59 of the third period, beating Reimer over the glove from the bottom of the right circle.

Kulich appeared to tie it with less than four minutes to go, but the goal was overturned after video footage showed he kicked the puck over the line.

-Field level media