Sabres beat Oilers, 3-1, snap losing skid

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Robin Lehner stopped 29 shots and the Buffalo Sabres snapped a seven-game skid with a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

Jack Eichel, Jacob Josefson and Kyle Okposo, with an empty-netter, scored for Buffalo, which had gone 0-5-2 since beating Washington 3-1 on Nov. 7. Lehner's best save came six minutes into the third period when he lunged to his left to foil Matt Benning's one-timer from the right circle.

Lehner's shutout bid was broken with 20 second left, when Yohann Auvitu beat him with a shot just inside the left post.

Edmonton came out flat in managing just four shots on goal in the opening period before taking 15 of its 30 shots in the third.

The Oilers' inconsistencies also continued in failing to build off a 6-2 win at Detroit on Wednesday. Edmonton (8-13-2) dropped to 1-4 in its past five and has won consecutive games just once this season.

Oilers backup Laurent Brossoit stopped 28 shots in place of Cam Talbot, who was experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Josefson opened the scoring with 5:44 left in the second period. He started the play by out-working an Oilers defender in the left corner, before dropping the puck to Kyle Okposo. Josefson then headed to the right circle, where he one-timed Okposo's pass over Brossoit's left shoulder.

Josefson now has a point in two straight games after missing 15 games with an ankle injury.

Eichel provided the insurance goal 43 seconds into the third period.

Driving up the right wing, and being checked by two Oilers, Eichel snapped a shot from just inside the blue line that sneaked in under Brossoit's glove on the short side.

NOTES: Sabres D Rasmus Ristolainen had an assist in his first game back after missing nine with an upper body injury. ... Oilers D Oscar Klefbom (flu) did not play. ... Sabres LW Evander Kane had a goal disallowed 8 ½ minutes into the second period when he took three whacks at the puck to finally jam it inside the right post. The puck, however, crossed the line after referee Ghislain Hebert blew the play dead. ... Buffalo snapped a four-game home skid. ... Oilers captain Connor McDavid was held without a point for only the sixth time this season.

UP NEXT

Oilers: Close five-game road swing at Boston on Sunday.

Sabres: At Montreal on Saturday.