Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres concluded their home portion of the preseason schedule with a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night at KeyBank Center.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his first start of the preseason, but only played one period in the loss.
Both teams scored late in the first period, trading goals less than a minute apart for a 1-1 score after 20 minutes.
Tristan Broz scored the first goal of the night for Pittsburgh, thanks to a power play chance. With Sabres forward Josh Doan in the penalty box for hooking, Broz's goal made the score 1-0 Pittsburgh.
However, just 12 seconds later, Sabres center Josh Norris was able to take a pass just inside the blue line of the offensive zone and score.
Peyton Krebs made the pass to help setup Norris for his second preseason goal. Ryan Johnson helped create the rush as well, receiving an assist with Krebs.
The Sabres were credited with 13 shots on goal in the first period, while Pittsburgh recorded 12 shots against Luukkonen. However, the Sabres goaltender was replaced before the start of the second period by Alexandar Georgiev due to injury.
Mathew Dumba scored early in the second period to help the Penguins re-gain the lead over Buffalo. His goal from the point was set up by a pass from 2025 first-round pick Ben Kindel that resulted in the one-time shot from the blue line.
Avery Hayes doubled Pittsburgh's lead to 3-1 thanks to a goal with less than a minute remaining in the second period. Filip Hallander was credited with the only assist on the goal scored from the side of the net.
Norris scored his second goal of the game, this time less than five minutes into the third period to bring the Sabres back within a goal, 3-2.
Tage Thompson made the pass to Norris, as he found a soft spot in the defense to create space. Krebs was also credited with an assist, his second of the game.
After Pittsburgh extended the lead back to two goals, Rasmus Dahlin was able to score on the power play to trim Buffalo's deficit back to one.
Dahlin's second goal of the preseason was unassisted after took the puck from one end of the ice to the other. It came with Blake Lizotte in the penalty box for a high-sticking double minor penalty.
With time dwindling down and the Sabres in need of the game-tying goal, Buffalo pulled Georgiev for an extra attacker, but failed to keep Pittsburgh from icing it with Hallander finding the empty net with 2:03 remaining in regulation.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: 17:42 - Josh Norris (2) (Peyton Krebs, Ryan Johnson)
PIT: 17:30 - Tristan Broz (1) PPG (Philip Tomasino, Robby Fabbri)
Second Period:
BUF: NONE
PIT: 5:52 - Mathew Dumba (1) (Ben Kindel, Philip Tomasino); 19:54 - Avery Hayes (1) PPG (Filip Hallander)
Third Period:
BUF: 4:29 - Josh Norris (3) (Tage Thompson, Peyton Krebs); 11:41 - Rasmus Dahlin (2) PPG (Unassisted)
PIT: 10:01 - Ville Koivunen (2) (Ryan Shea, Mathew Dumba); 17:57 - Filip Hallander (1) ENG (Robby Fabbri, Joona Koppanen)
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Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Josh Norris - BUF
2.) Mathew Dumba - PIT
3.) Rasmus Dahlin - BUF
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What's next:
The Sabres will conclude the preseason schedule on Friday night against the Penguins, this time in Pittsburgh. The two teams are scheduled to drop the puck at 7 p.m. at PPG Paints Center, and you can hear all of the action on the flagship home of the Sabres Radio Network - WGR Sports Radio 550.