Buffalo will finish last in NHL standings.
By Joe Yerdon / NHL.com Correspondent
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres will have the best odds to win the NHL Draft Lottery after losing to the Ottawa Senators 3-2 at KeyBank Center on Wednesday.
Craig Anderson made 32 saves for the Senators (28-41-11), who scored three straight goals after Ryan O’Reilly gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead 30 seconds into the first period.
Chad Johnson made 28 saves for the Sabres (25-43-12), who will finish last in the NHL standings for the third time in five seasons.
The NHL Draft Lottery will be held April 28. Buffalo will have an 18.5 percent chance to be given the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, which is scheduled for June 22-23. The Sabres did not win the first pick in 2014 or in 2015, the other times they had the best odds.
O’Reilly gave the Sabres the lead with a breakaway goal after a pass from Scott Wilson. Max McCormick made it 1-1 at 2:56 of the first period when he tipped a shot by Mark Borowiecki for his third goal.
Matt Duchene gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead at 6:10 when his shot from the high slot got through a screen by Colin White. Ryan Dzingel made it 3-1 at 3:21 of the second period with a shot from the right face-off circle.
Kyle Okposo made it 3-2 at 16:41 of the second period when his shot from the slot got through a screen by Evan Rodrigues.
Alexandre Burrows scored an empty-net goal at 19:21 of the third period to make it 4-2.
Senators forward Bobby Ryan let the game in the first period with a lower-body injury.
Up next
The Sabres close out the regular season in Florida on Friday and Saturday nights with games against Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, respectively.