The Sabres outshot the Oilers 41-34 in the 3-2 loss. EDMONTON – Jiri Kulich appeared to score the game-tying goal late in the third period, but a video review stifled the Buffalo Sabres' comeback effort in their 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Saturday.

Hopkins' second goal of the game snapped a tie with 11:01 left as the Connor McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers overcame a barrage of Buffalo shots in the final two periods to beat the Sabres, 3-2, Saturday at Rogers Place.

The Buffalo Sabres played pretty well on Saturday in Edmonton against the Oilers, but some of the same problems that have lost them hockey games all season long cropped up again. Paul Hamilton shares

My Oilers analysis Evan Bouchard has taken his shot generation to a completely different level of late, averaging 3.7 shots on 8.3 attempts over the last 10 games. That’s a significant jump from the 2.8 shots and 6.8 attempts he’s averaged on the season.

The Edmonton Oilers went 2-1-0 in three games last week, improving to 31-15-3 on the season. With their win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon, they claimed the top spot in the Pacific Division for the first time in five years.

How far down the Oilers' pecking order has Skinner dropped? He played 13:34 in Thursday's 6-2 win over Vancouver − and that was his biggest ice time total since Dec. 3.

Tage Thompson had taken a shot from the point, and Jiri Kulich was parked in front of the net battling for position. When the rebound bounced toward him, he kicked it toward the net attempting to get a stick on it.

The Buffalo Sabres played pretty well in Edmonton but the same problems that have lost them games cropped up again. In Calgary, Buffalo had 77 shot attempts, but had 21 miss the net and lost. Against

Thompson and JJ Peterka had hat tricks against the Bruins on Tuesday night — a good sign for Lindy Ruff's lineup tweaks.

While Connor McDavid served the final game of his suspension, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 at Rogers Place on Saturday (Jan. 25).

A generation ago, it felt like the best hope a short guy had of thriving in the NHL was in the crease. Today, the dynamic has largely flipped. Ryan Dixon takes a look at each team's undersized players in this week's Power Rankings.