PITTSBURGH – Where do you start with this one? The Buffalo Sabres blew an early two-goal lead before roaring back late to go up again after superstar Evgeni Malkin’s 500th goal put the Penguins ahead and seemingly seized all the momentum.
In the end, the Sabres earned one point for Wednesday’s wildly entertaining 6-5 overtime loss in PPG Paints Arena.
Still, the setback surely stings. The Sabres led 2-0 led by the 2:08 mark, 3-1 just 11:33 into the contest and 5-4 with less than a minute left in the third period.
But with goalie Joel Blomqvist off for an extra attacker, Rickard Rakell tied the game at 19:14. After Sabres center Tage Thompson was whistled for an iffy tripping penalty in overtime, superstar Sidney Crosby scored at 1:38.
“It would be easy to blame the refs, but at the same time, we did a lot of things to hurt ourselves in that game,” Thompson said. “Obviously, it’s a call we probably would have liked to have back, just going in there trying to hit him and he tries to jump out of the way and feel like that play happens at least once a shift. …
“At the end of the day, we kind of did it to ourselves.”
The Sabres, who received two goals from winger JJ Peterka in his return from a concussion, harmed themselves in multiple ways, allowing the Penguins race back.
“Our puck management in the second period was terrible,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “You know they were going to press. We played too much one-on-one hockey, and every time we played one-on-one hockey, or you turn it over around the top of the circle, you’re basically breaking them out.”
The Penguins also scored their final three goals at the net.
“At the end of the night, we just weren’t strong enough around our net,” Ruff said. “Look at some of the goals. You got to be stronger than that.”
Early on and again late, when the Sabres kept things simple, according to Thompson, their speed gave the Penguins fits.
“We just played behind them, they couldn’t keep up with our pace,” he said. “We have a fast group and were putting pucks behind their D and making them turn to go get it and getting on the forecheck. They struggled to break out. Then I think when we started to try to force plays at their blue line, soft stuff through the middle, (it) gives them easy offense. …
“So I think a 3-1 lead, we’ve got to manage the puck better, be a little smarter, be a little more aware what’s going on behind us.”
Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry wasn’t aware of Thompson in the opening minute, allowing him to steal the puck behind the net and stuff it in at the 43-second mark. Winger Jordan Greenway made it 2-0 before Bryan Rust’s power-play goal – Crosby recorded his 1,600th career assist on it – gave the Penguins life.
Peterka’s first goal restored Buffalo’s two-goal lead and put Jarry, who looked awful while stopping just two of the five shots he faced, on the bench.
Drew O’Connor scored a short-handed goal in the second – the Sabres’ challenge for offside was inconclusive – before Jesse Puljujarvi tied it later in the period.
After Malkin’s goal 3:26 into the third period, the Sabres appeared to be cooked. The Russian’s teammates streamed off the bench to congratulate him in an emotional scene. The crowd of 15,644 fans roared and gave him a standing ovation. As play continued, fans chanted, “Geno, Geno!”
But the Sabres stymied the Penguins’ momentum. Peterka’s second goal at 10:16 tied it. Center Ryan McLeod’s first goal with the Sabres put them up again 40 seconds later.
“A lot of energy, a lot of emotion for them when (Malkin scored),” Thompson said. “I think for us, the main thing was getting back to what we were doing in the first. I think our first period, they had no life, no chance, and that just goes back to smart puck placements on dumps, making sure that we have guys above them in the neutral zone.”
Peterka’s helped fuel the Sabres’ second straight five-goal performance. Following a two-game absence, he took his usual spot at left wing on the top line alongside Thompson and Alex Tuch.
In addition scoring twice at the bottom of the circles, Peterka had two breakaways and drew a slashing penalty.
“JJ was awesome,” Ruff said. “… He was dynamic all night for me. I was a little worried about throwing him in, but we got a heck of a game out of him.”
Peterka, who was injured Oct. 5, is grateful the Sabres allowed him the proper time to recover.
“On one end it was frustrating (sitting out), but at the other end I knew that the season is long and I would rather miss one or two more games here than half a season,” he said.
Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 37 saves for the Sabres, who continue their three-game road trip tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.