BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — On average, NHL teams that score first go on to win about two-thirds of the time. But these Buffalo Sabres are not your average team.
Buffalo got the opening goal Saturday for the 31st time in 49 games this season, only to take its 17th loss when scoring first, 3-2 against in Edmonton to conclude a 1-3-0 road trip. Surrendering the lead twice, the Sabres kept pace with the Chicago Blackhawks for the most blown-lead losses in the league with 19, which exceeds Buffalo’s season win total.
Alex Tuch scored his 16th late in the first period before Sabres castoff Jeff Skinner tied it up 17 seconds later. Jiri Kulich made it 2-1 in the second period, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins came back with two goals for the Oilers, who were without suspended star Connor McDavid.
Kulich, the rookie forward who tallied two goals and an assist on the road trip, appeared to get the tying goal with 3:43 remaining in the third period, but officials ruled that Kulich kicked the puck into the net.
Backup goaltender James Reimer made 31 saves for the Sabres, while Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner stopped 39 of the Sabres’ 41 shots on goal.
Still buried at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with an 18-26-5 record, Buffalo faces the Boston Bruins to begin a four-game homestand Tuesday night at KeyBank Center.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.