3 least impressive Edmonton Oilers players from 5-1 loss to Buffalo Sabres ft. Darnell Nurse

The Edmonton Oilers were on the short end of a surprising loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night at the KeyBank Center. The Sabres pulled out a 5-1 win on the heels of a strong performance from rookie goaltender Colten Ellis.

Noah Ostlund scored twice for the Sabres, including a power play goal, with Bowen Byram, Beck Malenstryn, and Tage Thompson (EN) getting the others for Buffalo. Meanwhile, Jack Roslovic replied for the Edmonton Oilers with his seventh of the season.

So, here’s a look at the three least impressive Edmonton Oilers players from their Monday night loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

3 least impressive Edmonton Oilers players from loss to Buffalo Sabres

#3 Curtis Lazar

The Edmonton Oilers' fourth liner did not see much action on Monday night. He played in just 7:30 of ice time across 13 shifts. Unfortunately, Lazar’s line got burned twice against the Sabres.

Lazar, like fellow fourth-liners Matias Janmark and Noah Philp, barely saw the ice against the Sabres. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch shortened his bench as the game progressed, but the team failed to make much headway.

#2 Jake Walman

Jake Walman and defense partner Darnell Nurse had a terrible night against the Sabres. The pair was on the ice for essentially every goal. In particular, Walman looked awful. He ended the night a minus-3 in about 20 minutes of ice across 26 shifts.

He’s a look at one particular example, as shown on the Sabres’ official X account:

Walman can be seen spinning around the front of the net, trying to clear traffic. However, he ended up screening Stuart Skinner, allowing Byram’s shot to get through.

The Edmonton Oilers blueliner did not register a shot on goal and had one block.

#1 Darnell Nurse

Darnell Nurse had an equally tough game. He hit the ice for over 22 minutes, but ended up a minus-2. He was also on the ice for the Sabres’ power play goal in the first period. But it was Ostlund’s second of the night that left Nurse and the Oilers looking out of place.

Check it out:

Nurse stood at the side of the net, trying to clear traffic. Instead, Ostlund spun and hit the shot on net. Skinner, again behind the screen, did not see the shot get through.

The Sabres added an empty-netter to ice the win on Monday night. So, the Oilers will look towards Wednesday night when they visit the Washington Capitals at the Capital One Arena.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan