Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - It’s not a surprise the Buffalo Sabres lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2, but what is shocking is they rarely keep Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin off the scoresheet. They did just that on Friday night.
What was more shocking is goalie Alex Nedeljkovic became the first goalie in NHL history to have a goal and an assist in a game. He also made 40 saves on the night for the Penguins.
The Pens netminder had a power play assist on Cody Glass’ goal in the second period, and then hit the empty net with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen pulled for the extra attacker in the third period.
Glass came into the game with one goal and eight assists for nine points, and he, too, had a goal and an assist on Friday.
Owen Power has spent the better part of his two-and-a-half seasons on one of the Sabres' two power play units, and in the first period, he scored the first power play goal of his career to make it 1-0, Buffalo.
Buffalo spent most of the first period being careless with the puck, but they blocked eight, shots which really helped them recover from those.
Pittsburgh started the second period with two goals in 27 seconds to take a 2-1 lead.
The second goal was another play where Henri Jokiharju had no idea that Anthony Beauvillier had gotten behind him, and Glass hit him with a perfect stretch pass. Beauvillier didn’t have a lot of time to put a move on Luukkonen, but the Sabres goaltender never challenged him and missed an opportunity to make a big save for his team.
For me, the turning point came midway through the period with Jokiharju in the penalty box. Beck Malenstyn won a shorthanded battle and sent Zach Benson in on a breakaway. He put it right into Nedeljkovic’s pads, and seconds later, Glass found himself open high in the right circle and he beat Luukkonen, who was back in his net for the Pens' second power play goal of the game.
Benson could’ve set off the sellout crowd with a goal to make it 2-2, but instead, Pittsburgh gets the goal to make it 3-1.
Buffalo produced chances in the third period, outshooting the Pens, 19-3, but Bryan Rust was alone in the left circle and took his time to beat Luukkonen far side on a shot that needed to be stopped. That was also a power play goal.
There’s no question the Sabres had more than enough chances to win this game, but I never said to myself, ‘Boy, Nedeljkovic made a fantastic save there.’
In the end, the Sabres scored two goals against a mediocre goalie, and the team which came in with the worst goals-against average in the NHL. The Pens came into the game with two wins in eight games, but the Eastern Conference’s worst team regularly loses to slumping teams.
This was another game in which the Sabres needed their best players to be their best players, and it didn’t happen.
Now the Sabres head out West for a four-game road trip, which starts in Seattle on Monday against the Kraken.