The Buffalo Sabres earned a weekend split with the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, earning a 4-2 victory on Sunday afternoon at KeyBank Center.
The Sabres wasted virtually no time getting on the board, as just 26 seconds in, they scored their first goal against Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith since Nov. 19, 2018.
Doing the damage on a 2-on-1 rush was a couple of youngsters in Dylan Cozens and Arttu Ruotsalainen.
It was Buffalo's first goal scored against DeSmith in just over three game's worth of time (180:18).
The Sabres built their lead to 2-0 in the early goings of the second period, when Sam Reinhart took a wrist shot from the right wing that was too much for DeSmith to handle.
It was Reinhart's team-leading 16th goal of the season.
Goal No. 17 for Reinhart came a period later, as the veteran wired his second goal of the afternoon past DeSmith on the power play with 8:02 gone in the third.
The Penguins broke up Dustin Tokarski's shutout bid with 9:42 to play in regulation, when winger Jason Zucker scored a goal right off a faceoff from the left circle.
Zucker's goal also meant that the Sabres would go another game without a clean sheet. To this point of the 2020-21 season, Buffalo has not shutout an opponent.
The final Sabres goal of regulation came from Rasmus Asplund, and it was of the empty-net variety inside the final two minutes. It was the forward's sixth goal of the campaign, as the Sabres came out of the weekend series with a split.
Pittsburgh's Teddy Blueger scored with 23 seconds to play, but it was all for naught as it just altered the final score, which was 4-2.
It was Buffalo's first home regulation win against the Penguins since Feb. 19, 2012.
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Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Sam Reinhart - BUF
2.) Dustin Tokarski - BUF
3.) Rasmus Dahlin - BUF
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What's Next:
The blue and gold host the Boston Bruins as part of a makeup game on Tuesday night. Puck drop at KeyBank Center is set for 6:30 p.m. ET with the Paul William Beltz Pregame Show starting at 5:30 p.m. ET with Mike Schopp on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.