Tage Thompson scored two goals and led the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.
“It is frustrating when some of the guys who aren’t contributing offensively are contributing for scoring chances against,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game. “That’s what is hurting the team.”
Thompson’s goals upped his team-leading goal total to 33 and Alex Tuch also scored to help the Sabres end a six-game losing streak in which they went 0-5-1. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 32 saves.
Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse scored, and Leon Draisaitl had two assists for the Oilers, who have lost seven of their last 10. Stuart Skinner made 19 saves.
Get daily National news
“I think we had enough chances to have four, five, maybe six goals,” Knoblauch said when talking about the Oilers chances. “We only scored two tonight which is usually not enough.”
Draisaitl’s secondary assist on Nurse’s goal 1:35 into the second extended his point streak to 15 games. He has 11 goals and 12 assists during the streak.
Takeaways
Sabres: After dropping their last two games on the road against Tampa Bay and Florida, Buffalo made up for it with a nervy effort against one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Oilers: Edmonton was unable to gain ground on the Pacific Division leading Vegas Golden Knights who maintained a four-point lead.
Key moment
Luukkonen came up with a big glove save on Draisaitl with 4:54 left in the third period with the Oilers on a power play.
Key stat
Thompson has 16 points in his past 13 games including 11 goals. He leads the Sabres with five multigoal games this season.
Up next
Oilers play at New Jersey on Thursday, and Sabres visit Detroit on Wednesday.