Pens beat Sabres, 5-2

The Buffalo Sabres fell 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday to conclude a three-game homestand at KeyBank Center.

The Sabres led 42-19 in shots and gained an early lead on Owen Power’s power-play goal during the first period, but the Penguins answered with a run of four straight goals in the second and third periods to take control of the game.

Alex Nedeljkovic scored an empty-net goal to cap off a 40-save performance for the Penguins. Rickard Rakell, Anthony Beauvillier, Cody Glass, and Bryan Rust also scored goals. The Penguins went 3-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.

Zach Benson had a goal and an assist for the Sabres while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 14 saves.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

Power opened the scoring for the Sabres on their first power play of the night, with Evgeni Malkin serving a double-minor penalty for high-sticking Beck Malenstyn.

The play began with a Bowen Byram shot that was turned away by Nedeljkovic but recovered by the Sabres and worked to Power at the point. Power faked a pass toward the left circle, freezing his defender, then skated into the slot and buried a wrister.

The Sabres carried the 1-0 lead into the intermission, also leading 10-6 in shots.

Second Period

The Penguins gained control with three goals in the middle period, two of which came on the power play.

Rickard Rakell put Pittsburgh on the board 1:41 into the period, burying a one-timer off a one-touch pass from Bryan Rust while Rasmus Dahlin served a penalty for high-sticking. Anthony Beauvillier scored 27 seconds later, catching a stretch pass from Glass with a step on the nearest defender and sending his attempt from the slot in over Luukkonen’s glove.

Malkin drew a tripping penalty on a drive to the net later in the period, setting the stage for Glass’ power-play goal. Philip Tomasino drove behind the Buffalo net and swung a pass back to Glass, who scored from the slot.

The Sabres earned a late power play on a goaltender interference call against Malkin, but it was offset when Tage Thompson bumped into Ryan Graves at the offensive blue line and was penalized for interference.

Third Period

The call against Thompson carried over into the third period and gave the Penguins a shortened power play, during which Rust sent a shot from the left circle into the far-side corner for their fourth goal.

Benson scored Buffalo’s second goal with 5:14 remaining, roofing a shot off a pass across the net from Thompson.

Nedeljkovic stifled the late comeback push with his empty-net goal, scored with 2:42 on the clock.

Read more at nhl.com/sabres.