Jack Eichel scored on a penalty shot 1:09 into overtime to give the Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers Thursday night.
The Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals 1:54 apart in the first period. Riley Sheahan banged in a loose puck off a deflection for his fourth of the season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins rifled home a rebound for his ninth.
“I liked that we played a strong first period, but I knew we were going to have to raise our level after that and we just didn’t,” head coach Dave Tippett said after the game.
“You get yourself to overtime and anything can happen. Decent start but our coverage in front of the net, I think, was not adequate tonight and we turned a lot of pucks over.”
Curtis Lazar got one back for Buffalo and the Oilers were up 2-1 after one.
Mike Smith was the best Oiler in the second period, stopping Zemgus Girgensons, who walked in on a two-on-one. Later, he made a glove save on Victor Olofsson on a breakaway.
San Reinhart deflected a puck past Smith to tie it 3:53 into the third.
In overtime, Eichel pulled away from Oscar Klefbom, who fouled Eichel from behind in front of the Oilers goal. Eichel ripped a shot past Smith’s glove on the penalty shot to end it.
“He’s a good player, makes a good play, try and defend it and the ref makes a call, that’s the way it goes,” said Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid on Eichel’s penalty shot.
LISTEN BELOW: Connor McDavid on Eichel’s penalty shot
The Oilers, 21-17-5, will play in Boston on Saturday. The game is on 630 CHED with the Face-off Show at 9:30 a.m. The game will start at 11 a.m.
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