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The Pittsburgh Penguins capped off a comeback to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 in OT at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday night.
Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby got the game-winning goal on a power play in OT. Bryan Rust (PPG), Dew O’Connor (SHG), Jesse Puljujarvi, Evgeni Malkin, and Rickard Rakell got the goals for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Meanwhile, Tage Thompson, Jordan Greenway, JJ Peterka, and Ryan McLeod scored for the Buffalo Sabres.
So, let’s take a look at the three major takeaways from the Pittsburgh Penguins’ win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
3 major takeaways from Pittsburgh Penguins OT win against Buffalo Sabres
#3. The Penguins did not give up
Kudos to the veteran grit and resilience shown by the Pittsburgh Penguins. After trailing 3-1 early in the first period, the Pens settled down and chipped away at the lead.
Then, down 5-4 late in the third, the Penguins pulled the goalie and managed the equalizer with less than a minute to go in the game. Rakell’s goal sent the game to OT where Crosby notched his first goal of the season.
Overall, the Penguins didn’t give up, taking home the two points after a rough start.
#2. Jarry looked shaky
Tristan Jarry had a shaky outing on Wednesday night. The Pittsburgh Penguins starter was pulled after giving up three goals on five shots. He played a little over 11 minutes, giving way to Joel Blomqvist. Blomqvist settled down and kept the Pens in the game despite giving up two goals himself.
Jarry’s performance is concerning, especially after the number of question marks surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins’ goaltending situation this season. The Pens are already shorthanded in goal with Alex Nedeljkovic on IR with a lower-body injury. Nedeljkovic sustained the injury during the preseason and has no timeline to return.
As such, Jarry has struggled to meet expectations, further evidencing his rough start on Wednesday night against the Sabres.
#1. The special teams were key for the Pens
The special teams made the difference for the Penguins against the Sabres. The Pens got two power play goals and a shorthanded marker. The shorthanded goal was crucial as it killed the Sabres’ momentum and brought the Penguins to within one goal.
As for the power play goals, Rust’s marker put the Pens on the board, while Crosby’s was the game-winner. For the Pens, getting the power play going is crucial as scoring with the man advantage was a struggle for the club last season. Thus far, the Pens look stronger on the power play, potentially boosting their overall scoring.
The Penguins will have the day off on Thursday before squaring off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night at the PPG Paints Arena.
