Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - I have lost count how many times I have seen the Buffalo Sabres blow two- and three-goal leads in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, and with captain Sidney Crosby in the middle of it.
The Sabres played their final preseason game on Friday and dominated for 40 minutes. The Penguins got away with playing just 20 minutes, and came back from two separate two-goal deficits to beat the Sabres, 5-4, in overtime.
The one thing head coach Lindy Ruff has to get fixed is the penalty kill, which was awful for most of the preseason.
Leading 4-2 with 13:15 left to go, they allowed power play goals by Rickard Rakell and Crosby, and then just nine seconds into overtime, three key veterans - Tage Thompson, Josh Norris and Bo Byram - put forth a pathetic effort, and Erik Karlsson set up Crosby for an easy layup.
There was a lot to like in the first 40 minutes. In the first period, Buffalo had some good chances, but were stopped by Tristan Jarry.
In the second, they broke through for three goals, with two coming from Jiri Kulich, because he was right at the crease where goals are scored. Tage Thompson had one goal after Norris caused a turnover and easily went around former Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton, setting up an open Thompson coming down the slot.
I thought goalie Alex Lyon was solid, making 11 saves on 13 shots through 40 minutes of action.
Alexandar Georgiev started the third period and was under siege. He had to make three-straight point blank saves when the Sabres were on the power play. In 20 minutes, Georgiev made 14 saves on 17 shots.
In the preseason, Georgiev was 0-2-1 with a 4.20 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage.
Lyon was 1-0-0 with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was 0-0-0 with a 3.00 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
Devon Levi was 1-0-0, and wasn’t scored on while facing 11 shots.
Georgiev played 157 minutes, while Lyon played 140 minutes, Levi played 40 minutes and Luukkonen played 20 minutes.
The Sabres go straight from Pittsburgh to their weekend retreat, and then it’s back to practice on Monday.
The final roster must be in by 5 p.m. on Monday. Buffalo went 3-2-1 in the preseason.
After the game, the Sabres sent defensemen Vsesolod Komarov, Zach Metsa and Radim Mrtka, as well as forward Noah Ostlund to the Rochester Americans.
The Amerks open their season on Friday at home against the Toronto Marlies.
To recap the preseason scoring:
- Thompson: 4 GP, 4-3-7
- Norris: 4 GP, 3-4-7
- Kulich: 3 GP, 2-1-3
- Doan: 4 GP, 1-2-3
- Helenius: 4 GP, 1-2-3
- Quinn: 4 GP, 1-2-3
- Byram: 3 GP, 1-2-3
- Krebs: 4 GP, 0-3-3
- Tuch: 3 GP, 0-3-3
- Dahlin: 3 GP, 2-0-2
- Zucker: 4 GP, 2-0-2
- Mrtka: 4 GP, 1-1-2
- Ostlund: 2 GP, 1-1-2
- Benson: 2 GP, 0-2-2
- Malenstyn: 4 GP, 1-0-1
- Kozak: 5 GP, 0-1-1
- Johnson: 4 GP, 0-1-1
- Bryson: 4 GP, 0-1-1
- Komarov: 2 GP, 0-1-1
- Kesselring: 3 GP, 0-1-1
- Power: 2 GP, 0-1-1
- Rosen: 3 GP, 0-1-1
- Wahlberg: 2 GP, 0-1-1
- McLeod: 4 GP, 0-1-1
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