Returning to Skinner, he's flashed high-end play for stretches throughout his tenure with the Oil, and this is a game Edmonton will want to win. The Oilers can climb into a tie for top spot in the Pacific Division if everything breaks their way tonight.

Despite clawing back from an early 2-0 deficit and coming close to making it a 4-4 game late in regulation, the Sabres ultimately succumbed to the inevitable in falling to the first-place Avalanche. Whatever positives the Sabres can take from this game will be outweighed by the already grim outlook for their season.

Buffalo's five-game losing streak calls for a massive organizational overhaul that includes GM Kevyn Adams and coach Lindy Ruff losing their jobs.

Buffalo's offense hasn't produced to the level it was at last year. Consequently, key Sabres players must elevate their scoring to boost Buffalo's chances to win.

First it was Rasmus Dahlin. He flew from Sweden to Detroit on Friday for this game after taking a one-week leave of absence to spend time with his fiancee, who is still recovering from a heart transplant she received earlier this year. Dahlin said everything is going well, and he was able to come back in a much better headspace than when he left.

Before the second intermission, after Mark Kastelic scored Boston’s third goal, chaos ensued on and off the ice. An extended scrum broke out with the 10 skaters, and Bowen Byram and Nikita Zadorov had a long talk from the ends of their benches.

Hyman's journey back from injury resonates with his teammates, particularly McDavid, who acknowledged the emotional challenges that come with recovery. The Oilers are undoubtedly uplifted by Hyman's return, as he adds depth and grit to their lineup.

If the inevitable happens, the Buffalo Sabres can't keep hurting their franchise and wait to move Tage Thompson.

The Edmonton Oilers visit the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air on ESPN+. Edmonton earned a 4-3 road victory against the Carolina Hurricanes its last time out on Nov. 15.

The Buffalo Sabres are continuing to struggle big time, as they fell to the Colorado Avalanche by a 6-3 final score in their last game on Nov. 13. With this, the Sabres are now sporting a five-game losing streak and have a 5-8-4 record on the season. They are also at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.