Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550/WBEN) - The Sabres opened the 2024-25 preseason with a big 7-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night at KeyBank Center. JJ Peterka lead the way scoring a hat trick in the victory.
With Tage Thompson off for an early tripping penalty just :28 seconds into the game, the Penguins would take the 1-0 lead with a goal from Jesse Puljujarvi at the 1:08 mark. But the Sabres would even it up just moments later with a power play goal themselves. JJ Peterka would deflect home a Jack Quinn shot from the point.
The Sabres began the second period with a fury of goals, scoring 5 goals just 5:26 minutes. It was JJ Peterka getting it rolling just :46 into the period for his second of the night.
It was Owen Power then ripping a shot from the point to extend the lead to 3-1.
Then exactly one minute later Henri Jokiharju snapped a wrister home from the slot to make it a 4-1 Buffalo lead.
Three of the newest Sabres would connect for the fifth Buffalo goal as Sam Lafferty chipped in a rebound after a Beck Manlenstyn shot.
JJ Peterka would finish off the scoring spree with his hat-trick goal giving the Sabres a 6-1 lead over the Penguins after two periods of play.
Buffalo did not let up to start the third period with Dylan Cozens getting in on the scoring just 3:42 into the final frame.
The Penguins got back on the scoresheet after the Buffalo onslaught as Jesse Puljujarvi scored on the power play for his second of the night making it 7-2. Then less than a minute later it was Puljujarvi netting a hat trick as well to cut the Sabres lead to 7-3 midway through the third.
The scoring finally slowed down after that and the Sabres would coast to a 7-3 victory. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 15 shots in the win.
----------
GAME RECAP
Scoring Summary:
First Period:
BUF: 3:25 - JJ Peterka (1)(PPG) (Jack Quinn, Henri Jokiharju)
PIT: 1:08 - Jesse Puljujarvi (1)(PPG) (Ville Koivunen, Tristan Broz)
Second Period:
BUF: 0:46 - JJ Peterka (2) (Alex Tuch, Henri Jokiharju), 2:28 - Owen Power (1) (Bowen Byram, Jiri Kulich), 3:29 - Henri Jokiharju (1) (Dylan Cozens, Zach Benson), 4:20 - Sam Lafferty (1) (Beck Malenstyn, Nicolas Aube-Kubel), 5:26 - JJ Peterka (3) (Tage Thompson, Owen Power)
PIT: NONE
Third Period:
BUF: 3:42 - Dylan Cozens (1) (Unassisted)
PIT: 8:33 - Jesse Puljujarvi (2)(PPG) (Rutger McGroarity, Drew O'Connor), 8:52 - Jesse Puljujarvi (3) (Avery Hayes, Tristan Broz)
Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) JJ Peterka (BUF)
2.) Henri Jokiharju (BUF)
3.) Sam Lafferty (BUF)
----------
What's next: The Sabres welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets to KeyBank Center on Monday night for a 5:00 p.m. ET faceoff. Catch all of the action on WWKB-AM 1520 with Brian Koziol.