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 Now they have some points to back it up.
Edmonton put 52 shots on net and center Boyd Gordon scored with 4:15
remaining to lead the Oilers to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on
Friday night.
"It's important for our dressing room," Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins
said. "We fully understand critics and I embrace the result. You can
stand and talk about how well you're playing or how you're improved,
but if you're not getting points no one's going to listen. So for me
the points are always for those guys in the room, they understand
what process we're going through. They understand where we're at and
where we're going."
Center Mark Arcobello and right winger Iiro Pakarinen also scored
for the Oilers. Goalie Viktor Fasth made 29 saves.
Edmonton (5-8-1) is now hoping to turn the tables and go on a
winning streak of its own. The Oilers began the year with a
five-game losing streak, then won four games in a row before their
more recent four-game losing skid.
"I don't think anybody's doubted it at all in this room," Oilers
center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "Because I really do feel like
we've played some really good hockey all season and still I feel
like when we lose games, it's mistakes that really kills us. ... I
don't think I've been involved with a game like that in my period
here and it just goes to show how much we've improved but it's about
finding a way to do that every night."
Gordon finished off a terrific play by right winger Teddy Purcell on
the winning goal. Purcell skated to his right around Sabres
defenseman Nikita Zadorov before finding a wide-open Gordon to his
left, who tapped the puck into an open net.
Eakins was glad to see Gordon get rewarded for the hard work he's
been putting in inside both zones.
"He works so hard and he's never looked sideways once at the number
of times he has to start in his D-zone," Eakins said of Gordon. "He
takes great pride in it, he takes great pride in our penalty kill
and he just quietly goes about his business. ... I can't say enough
about Boyd. He does a lot of heavy lifting, dirty, dirty work and is
happy to do it."
Right winger Drew Stafford and left winger Matt Moulson scored for
the Sabres (3-10-2), who gave up a 2-1 lead in the third period and
came up short after getting points in two consecutive games at home.
"When you don't want to compete and you don't want to fight for the
puck, that's what's going to happen," Sabres coach Ted Nolan said.
"We went through this same song a number of times. The worst thing
about it, we had a 2-1 lead. We made the biggest mistakes to give
them the two goals to go ahead."
[to top of second column] |
Goalie Michal Neuvirth's 49-save performance was the best aspect of
Buffalo's evening. The 26-year-old continued his recent stretch of
strong play and appears to have the upper hand in net over Jhonas
Enroth.
"Our goalies have been outstanding for us all year, both of them,"
Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges said. "It's about time we started
paying them back a little bit."
After a scoreless first period, both teams traded goals 54 seconds
apart to begin the second. Moulson opened the scoring for Buffalo 26
seconds into the period, ending his scoring drought with his first
goal of the season. Moulson scored on a quick one-timer to the
blocker side from close range.
Pakarinen tied the game less than a minute later following a big
rebound by Neuvrith. It was his first career goal in just his second
NHL game.
Buffalo took a 2-1 lead 6:34 into the third period on Stafford's
second goal in as many games. Stafford skated to his right around
Edmonton defenseman Martin Marincin and roofed a wrist shot high to
the stick side for his third goal of the season.
Arcobello made it 2-2 with 8:18 remaining with a fine effort from
the slot. Despite tight coverage from Sabres defenseman Andre
Benoit, Arcobello put a shot into the top right corner of the net
while falling backward.
NOTES: Before the game, the Sabres held a ceremonial faceoff with
Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly and Sabres
play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret as part of Hockey Fights
Cancer Night. Both men have beaten cancer and received a standing
ovation from the crowd. ... LW Marcus Foligno (shoulder), D Mike
Weber and D Tyson Strachan were scratched for the Sabres. ... D
Andrew Ference, LW Luke Gazdic and D Oscar Klefbom were scratched
for the Oilers. Ference, Edmonton's captain, sat out his third and
final game of a three-game suspension. ... This was the 68th game
all time between the teams. They meet again on Jan. 29 in Edmonton.
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