Buffalo Sabres vs. Edmonton Oilers
The Buffalo Sabres are set to face the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday for their second game in a back-to-back series, continuing their journey through Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. The team’s recent struggles during away games were starkly evident on Monday when they suffered a defeat against the Calgary Flames.
Recent Game Recap
Despite multiple attempts to come back, including goals by Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Owen Power in the second period, the Sabres could not close the gap. Calgary responded swiftly each time Buffalo scored, with notable contributions from Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and Yan Kuznetsov, which kept the Flames comfortably ahead with a two-goal margin entering the final period.
Alex Tuch did manage to score late in the third, but two empty-net goals from the Flames clinched a 7-4 loss for Buffalo, marking their 11th defeat on the road this season with a disheartening record of 2-9-2. Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres’ captain, expressed disappointment after the game, labeling it as a “horrible game” marred by numerous mistakes, emphasizing the need for the team to regroup ahead of their next match.
Injury Updates and Roster Changes
Further complicating the Sabres’ situation, veteran forward Jason Zucker sustained a lower-body injury during the game against Calgary. While he managed to continue playing, Coach Lindy Ruff announced during his Tuesday morning segment on WGR-550 that Zucker will be sidelined for a period.
With only 12 forwards remaining on the roster due to Zucker’s injury, a call-up from the Rochester Americans is highly anticipated. Noah Ostlund, a center who impressed during his earlier tenure with the Sabres before being sent down, is expected to be the selected player to join the team ahead of Thursday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
In addition, Josh Dunne is slated to take Zucker’s place in the lineup for the match against the Oilers, and with no morning skate scheduled on Tuesday, it seems likely that goaltender Alex Lyon, who took over for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the latter part of the game against Calgary, will be given the start for this crucial matchup.
