Ristolainen's OT goal helps Sabres squeak past Oilers
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Rasmus Ristolainen scored 57 seconds into overtime to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
The game-winner came on the power play in the extra session. Ristolainen unleashed a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle, which ricocheted off the crossbar into the net.
Buffalo forced overtime with 28.3 seconds remaining in regulation on Evander Kane's second goal of the game. After Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly's hard slap shot hit the right post, Kane put home the rebound to even the score at 3-3.
Brian Gionta also scored for the Sabres (10-10-6). Anders Nilsson made 34 saves.
Jordan Eberle, Milan Lucic and Leon Draisaitl scored for the Oilers (14-10-4). Cam Talbot made 22 saves.
Kane opened the scoring with a power-play goal with 9:22 remaining in the first period. Kane's wrist shot from the left circle gave the power forward his second goal in the past three games after going scoreless in his first 13 games of the season.
Gionta made it 2-0 with 6:14 remaining in the first following a fine feed by left winger Marcus Foligno. Foligno skated past Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom, fed Gionta a backhand pass and the Sabres captain chipped it home for his sixth goal of the season.
The Oilers quickly got back into the game with two goals in a span of 1:45.
Eberle put Edmonton on the board at 10:31 by poking home a loose puck after a scrum in the crease on the power play.
Lucic evened the score at 12:16 following a great feed by Connor McDavid. The power forward then scored on a quick wrist shot for his eighth goal of the year.
Draisaitl gave Edmonton a 3-2 lead midway through the third period. McDavid's shot from the bottom of the right circle was deflected in the slot by Draisaitl for his 11th goal of the year at 9:59.
NOTES: Injuries continue to hurt the Sabres on defense. Three defensemen -- D Josh Gorges (foot), D Taylor Fedun (shoulder) and D Zach Bogosian (knee sprain) -- were scratched for the Sabres. D Dmitry Kulikov (lower back/injured reserve) rejoined the team at Buffalo's practice on Sunday and may be able to return later in the week. ... LW Anton Slepyshev, LW Benoit Pouliot and D Dillon Simpson were scratched for the Oilers. ... This was the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. ... This wrapped up the third of a league-high 19 sets of back-to-back games for the Sabres this season.