Connor McDavid, Kailer Yamamoto and Tyson Barrie each had a goal and an assist and the Edmonton Oilers won their fourth in a row, beating the Buffalo Sabres 6-1 on Thursday night.
“It was a full 60 minutes. It was maybe as good of a game as we have played all year,” Barrie said. “After two periods we realized that we had played a pretty solid game up to that point and we made a point of coming out and drilling home that last 20 minutes to show us what it feels like to play the full game.”
Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse and Devin Shore also scored for the Oilers, and Mike Smith made 27 saves for his first victory since Feb. 17.
Edmonton Oilers' goalie Mike Smith (41) and Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrate the win over the Buffalo Sabres at the end of third-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
“I thought we got contributions from everybody,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said. “All four lines, three D-pairs, Mike Smith was excellent, the penalty kill was good, we got a shorthanded goal and we scored a power play goal. All facets of the game seemed to be firing on all cylinders.”
Draisaitl scored his 40th of the season, and McDavid his 34th. Draisaitl became the fastest Oilers player to score 40 goals since Jimmy Carson in 1988-89.
Victor Olofsson scored for Buffalo, and Craig Anderson made 30 saves. The Sabres had won two straight.
Buffalo Sabres' goalie Craig Anderson (41) makes the save as Edmonton Oilers' Zack Kassian (44) and Mattias Samuelsson (23) look for the rebound during second-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
“We didn’t win any battles from the start, we made it really hard on ourselves,” Olofsson said. “They’ve got some really skilled players. We had to get pucks deep and win our battles and obviously we didn’t do that and I think that kind of showed up.”
UP NEXT
Sabres: At Calgary on Friday night.
Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse (25) and Zach Hyman (18) celebrate a goal against the Buffalo Sabres' during second-period NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Oilers: Host New Jersey on Saturday.