Published September 13, 2015
When things got tough, the Edmonton Oilers just kept shooting.
The Oilers took 52 shots on Buffalo Sabres goalie Michal Neuvirth, twice overcoming deficits to snap a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win on Friday night.
"When we got down, they all took a deep breath and got right back to work," Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said. "Our ability to answer back was key tonight."
Boyd Gordon scored the game-winner with 4:16 to play in the third period, taking a pass from Teddy Purcell on a 2-on-1 break and poking the puck into an open net with Neuvirth out of position.
"Teddy made a nice move and got the puck over and fortunately it went in for us," Gordon said.
Gordon now has goals in back-to-back games after waiting 12 games for his first of the season.
"He just quietly goes about his business," Eakins said. "I can't say enough about Boyd. He does a lot of heavy lifting, dirty, dirty work and is happy to do it."
Iiro Pakarinen and Mark Arcobello also scored for the Oilers, while Victor Fasth made 29 saves in the win.
Matt Moulson and Drew Stafford scored for the Sabres, and Neuvirth stopped 49 shots as Buffalo lost its second-straight. The goaltender was not happy with the amount of shots allowed by Buffalo.
"Fifty-two, that's crazy," Neuvirth said. "We got outworked, and they wanted to win more than us. Good for them, but we got to wake up. This can't be happening, especially on home ice."
Purcell had two assists for Edmonton, which erased 1-0 and 2-1 deficits.
"Buffalo got one goal ahead and we knew all the time that we were gonna win this game," Pakarinen said. "I had that feeling the whole time."
A wide-open first period saw plenty of chances for both teams, with Edmonton outshooting Buffalo 19-12 in the scoreless period.
Neuvirth slid across to deny Pakarinen's low shot with 8 minutes gone in the period. He later stopped David Perron's quick move from behind the net to keep the period scoreless.
Cody McCormick's late shot from the slot beat Fasth but hit the crossbar.
Moulson opened the scoring 37 seconds into the second when he skated into the left faceoff circle and fired a pass from Brian Gionta through Fasth's legs.
Pakarinen tied it just 43 seconds after Moulson's goal with a low shot past Neuvirth. It was his first NHL goal, and he barely recalls it.
"I don't even remember," Pakarinen said. "I was a little bit shocked. It was so fast of a situation. I jumped on the ice and the rebound was there and I tried to shoot as hard as I can."
Stafford carried the puck into the Oilers zone before cutting to the right and lifting a wrist shot over Fasth's right shoulder at 6:34 of the third to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead.
Stafford has eight goals and two assists in seven career games against Edmonton.
The Oilers got the equalizer at 11:42 when Perron's odd-angled shot rebounded to Arcobello, who chipped it over Neuvirth's left shoulder.
Gordon notched the game-winner off a giveaway by Andrej Meszaros, taking a pass from Purcell on a 2-on-1 break and poking the puck into an empty net with Neuvirth out of position.
"Now we want to start a winning streak," Arcobello said. "Getting that win was big for us and now we've gotta get on track."
NOTES: Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret and former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly received loud ovations in a puck-drop ceremony to honor the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer campaign. Both are now cancer-free ... Oilers captain Andrew Ference served the final game of a three-game suspension for a hit to the head of Vancouver's Zack Kassian.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/boyd-gordons-late-goal-gives-oilers-a-3-2-win-over-the-sabres