Oilers at Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres have a chance to escape the basement in the Atlantic Division on Tuesday as they begin a four-game homestand against the Edmonton Oilers. Buffalo only was able to earn one point at Washington on Monday, dropping a 3-2 overtime decision in the lone road contest of a stretch during which it plays six of seven at home.
Kyle Okposo netted his team-high eighth tally and Zemgus Girgensons halted a lengthy goal-scoring drought, but the Sabres squandered a third-period lead en route to their second straight overall defeat (0-1-1) and fifth in six road contests (1-4-1). Edmonton is kicking off a three-game road trip hoping to extend a pair of point streaks. The Oilers are 3-0-1 in their last four road contests and 2-0-1 in their last three overall after falling to visiting Minnesota 2-1 in overtime on Sunday. Buffalo is looking to complete a sweep of the two-game season series after posting a 6-2 victory in Edmonton on Oct. 16 behind a career-best four-point performance by Ryan O'Reilly.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), MSG-B (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE OILERS (14-10-3): Connor McDavid was unhappy with what took place in Sunday's setback, even if it was for his own good, as he was ordered to leave the ice after tripping and hitting his chin late in the second period by league spotters so he could be checked for a concussion. "I was pretty shocked, to be honest," McDavid told reporters. "I hit my mouth on the ice - you reach up and grab your mouth when you get hit in your mouth. I think it's a pretty normal thing. Obviously, the spotter thought he knew how I was feeling." The 19-year-old star, who returned for the third period, was kept off the scoresheet for the second straight game but still leads the Oilers in goals (11), assists (23) and points (34).
ABOUT THE SABRES (9-10-6): Since his All-Star season of 2014-15, Girgensons has had quite a bit of difficulty putting the puck in the net. The 22-year-old Latvian followed up the 15-goal campaign with only seven in 71 games last season, and his tally on Monday was just his second of 2016-17 - ending a 21-game dry spell. Erik Burgdoerfer, a 27-year-old defenseman who was recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Sunday, made his NHL debut against Washington in place of an injured Taylor Fedun and posted a minus-1 rating in 10 minutes, 3 seconds of ice time.
OVERTIME
1. Sabres D Rasmus Ristolainen notched his team-leading 13th assist Monday but remains in search of his first goal of the season.
2. Edmonton D Dillon Simpson has yet to make his NHL debut after being a healthy scratch for both games since he was recalled from Bakersfield of the AHL on Saturday.
3. O'Reilly has recorded more than 50 percent of his 13 points on the season in two contests - the first meeting with Edmonton and a visit to Ottawa on Nov. 29 (three).