All too often, the game of hockey comes down to goaltending.
No matter what the skaters on the ice do, the game is in the hands of the masked men standing in front of either net. The Edmonton Oilers learned that the hard way yet again, losing 3-2 to the lowly Buffalo Sabres despite outshooting them 34-23 on Monday.
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Stuart Skinner: D
The Oilers needed more from Skinner on Monday. He allowed three goals on 23 shots, a save percentage below .900 in eight out of ten games since the beginning of February.
In the first period, he failed to recover a loose rebound, allowing Tage Thompson to put the Sabres up 1-0. Skinner’s biggest issue over the past few weeks has been rebound control, and it’s starting to seriously cost the Oilers.
Worse, though, was the Sabres’ second goal, where Skinner looked completely lost defending Alex Tuch’s shot off the rush. On a night the Oilers lost by one, their goaltender allowed two softies. That won’t cut it.
Former Oiler Ryan McLeod connects with Alex Tuch, who fires it past Stuart Skinner for a 2-1 lead for the Sabres.
📹: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/LWtymJQwF3
— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) March 11, 2025
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Connor McDavid: B+
McDavid was in peak form on Monday, despite only picking up one assist. He was a menace in the offensive zone, skating circles around the Sabres, but he and his linemates couldn’t beat Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
McDavid had the Oilers’ second-highest all-situations xG% on Monday, clocking in at 81.8% when including the team’s four powerplays (on which they scored one goal).
Sabres Posts: A+
While Luukkonen was excellent and Tage Thompson scored twice, the Sabres’ MVP on Monday was their goalposts. The Oilers hit five posts in the 3-2 loss, including two in the first period and another on a glorious chance for Leon Draisaitl that would have tied the game in the third period.
It’s cheap to blame poor luck when you lose against one of the worst teams in the league, and the Oilers certainly shouldn’t feel good about themselves after the loss, but five shots ripped off the iron is still a tough pill to swallow.
The Oilers were, by and large, the better team on Monday. But goaltending is a part of the game, and the Oilers also didn’t do themselves any favors with their finishing. They’ll be back in action on Thursday, against the Jack Hughes-less New Jersey Devils.
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