Penguins defeat Sabres in preseason finale
Share this post:
Two goals by forward Drew O’Connor led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 7-4 win in their preseason finale Friday against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
O’Connor opened the scoring all of 20 seconds into regulation with his third goal of the preseason. Off a backhand pass by linemate Sidney Crosby from the defensive line, O’Connor was sprung on a breakaway. Fending off Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton, O’Connor attacked the cage and ripped a wrister by goaltender Dalton Levi. Crosby had the lone assist.
The hosts responded at 9:46 of the first period via forward Victor Olofsson’s first goal thanks to a miscue by goaltender Tristan Jarry. After corralling a puck behind his cage, Jarry shuffled an ill-advised backhand pass toward the left corner that was intercepted by forward J.J. Peterka, who spun to his right and centered the puck to the slot. Olofsson fanned on his initial shot attempt but settled the puck enough to tap in a forehand shot past the right skate of an out-of-position Jarry. The only assist went to Peterka.
Forward Zach Benson’s fourth goal supplied the Sabres with their first lead of the contest 2:06 into the second period. Gaining the offensive zone on the right wing, forward Casey Mittlestadt chipped a backhand centering pass to linemate Jordan Greenway. From the right circle, Greenway jabbed a backhand pass past Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson in the slot, allowing Benson to elevate a forehand shot over Jarry’s right leg. Greenway and Mittlestadt claimed assists.
Crosby recorded a fighting major at 3:50 of the second after mixing it up with Sabres forward Peyton Krebs. Additionally, Crosby was assessed a cross-checking minor that led to the Sabres’ third score on a power-play opportunity by Peterka.
Below the right circle of the Penguins’ zone, Olofsson chucked a wrister toward the cage that Jarry booted to the slot right to Peterka, who immediately swiped a forehand shot past Jarry’s glove for his first goal. Assists went to Olofsson and Mittlestadt.
The Penguins responded 2:09 later with defenseman Marcus Pettersson’s first goal. Gaining the offensive zone on the right wing, Penguins forward Reilly Smith pulled up a bit at the point and dished a cross-ice pass to linemate Rickard Rakell high in the opposite circle. Displaying remarkable coordination, Rakell put his stick between his legs and one-touched a forehand pass to a trailing Pettersson. Fending off Peterka, Pettersson lifted a wrister to the far side past Levi’s glove. Rakell and Smith registered assists.
Forward Lars Eller’s first goal tied the game, 3-3, at 8:42 of the second. After Eller won a faceoff in Buffalo’s right circle against forward Dylan Cozens, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang settled the puck at the right point and then dished a cross-ice pass to defensive partner Ryan Graves. Surveying for a shooting lane, Graves lobbed a wrister toward the far side of the cage. Eller crashed in and was shoved by Clifton, dislodging the cage. In the process, the puck hit off Eller’s right leg and deflected into the net before it was out of position. Graves and Letang had assists.
O’Connor’s second goal restored a lead for the visitors 49 seconds later. After Penguins forward Bryan Rust backhanded a puck out of danger from his own left half wall, O’Connor took possession and initiated a three-on-two rush. From the left wing, O’Connor surged past backchecking Sabres forward Tyson Jost and tucked a slick backhander behind Levi’s left skate. Rust and Graves had assists.
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin’s first goal came on a power-play opportunity at 15:44 of the second. From behind the Sabres’ cage, Malkin banked a pass off the right wing boards to Karlsson at the center point. Surveying the zone, Karlsson snapped a pass to the left of the crease where Malkin tapped in a deflection behind a scrambling Levi. Karlsson claimed the lone assist.
The Penguins went up 6-3 1:33 into the third period thanks to forward Jeff Carter’s first goal. Barging out of a wall battle on the left wing boards of the Sabres’ zone, Carter attacked the cage from along the goal line. Upon arrival, Carter dished a backhand pass to the slot for linemate Noel Acciari whose forehand shot was denied by Levi. Carter followed through on the rebound with a forehand shot that was rejected by Levi then a backhander that floated over Levi’s blocker. Acciari and Pettersson had assists.
The Sabres persisted as Mittlestadt found his first goal at the 6:38 mark of the final period. After gaining the offensive zone on the right wing, Benson offloaded the puck to an onrushing Mittlestadt, who slipped past Karlsson in the right circle and tucked a backhander over Jarry’s glove on the near side. Benson and defenseman Owen Power tallied assists.
The scoring was capped at 15:13 of the third with Letang’s first goal on a power-play opportunity. Off a precision passing sequence, Crosby settled the puck low to the right of the cage and fed it to the left circle for an unguarded Letang, who easily swiped a one-timer past Levi’s charred blocker. Crosby and and Rakell had assists.
Jarry made 33 saves on 37 shots in the victory.
The Penguins finished the preseason with a 3-3-1 record. They are scheduled to open the regular season with a home game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.