Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres enter the Olympic break on the losing end of things with a 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at KeyBank Center.
The first shot of the game ended up finding the back of the net, as winger Jason Zucker came down the left wing and fired a shot past goalie Arturs Silovs to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
Zucker's 15th goal of the season was assisted by Ryan McLeod and Bowen Byram. He has scored a goal in two of the last three games for the Sabres, and 11 total points in the last month.
Avery Hayes made his NHL debut against the Sabres on Thursday and scored a pair of first-period goals in his first game.
On his first NHL goal, Hayes was able to get behind Buffalo's defense and beat Alex Lyon on the blocker side midway through the first period.
Hayes' second goal of the game was created by an Anthony Mantha pass for a 2-1 lead with just over a minute remaining in the first period.
The Sabres' deficit increased to two goals thanks to a turnover in the offensive zone that resulted in an odd-man rush for Pittsburgh at the other end of the ice.
Ben Kindel was able to take the puck away from Jacob Bryson and score his 13th goal of the season for a 3-1 Penguins lead. Kindel created the turnover and went coast-to-coast on the unassisted goal.
Tage Thompson took advantage of an early third-period power play chance. Evgeni Malkin was called for tripping just over a minute into the third, giving Buffalo a fourth power play chance of the game.
Thompson's 30th goal of the season was assisted by Jack Quinn and Rasmus Dahlin, bringing Buffalo to within a goal, 3-2, less than two minutes into the final frame.
Thomas Novak was in the right spot at the top of the Sabres crease, and was able to extend Pittsburgh's lead back to two goals, 4-2, with a goal late in the third period. Egor Chinakov's shot from the blue line hit Byram, and the Penguins forward was able to chip in his 11th goal of the year.
Kindel was able to score his second goal of the game with just seconds remaining. His empty-net goal was scored shorthanded, while Mantha was in the penalty box for hooking.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 1:46 - Jason Zucker (15) (Ryan McLeod, Bowen Byram)
PIT: 9:18 - Avery Hayes (1) (Ilya Solovyov, Rutger McGroarty); 18:47 - Avery Hayes (2) (Anthony Mantha, Parker Wotherspoon)
Second Period:
BUF: NONE
PIT: 7:44 - Ben Kindel (13) (Unassisted)
Third Period:
BUF: 1:55 - Tage Thompson (30) PPG (Jack Quinn, Rasmus Dahlin)
PIT: 15:31 - Thomas Novak (11) (Egor Chinakov, Evgeni Malkin); 19:46 - Ben Kindel (14) ENG (Connor Dewar)
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BlueStar Home Services Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Avery Hayes - PIT
2.) Ben Kindel - PIT
3.) Tage Thompson - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres and the rest of the National Hockey League will take a nearly three-week break with the Olympics taking place in Milan, Italy. Buffalo has three more games in February following the break, starting with a matchup against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 25 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.