Recap: Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo
Sports Network | November 15, 2008
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists and Jordan Staal scored twice, as the Penguins ripped off four unanswered goals in the latter half of the third period to come away with a 5-2 victory over Buffalo at Mellon Arena.
Alex Goligoski and Ruslan Fedotenko each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who have won six in a row. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 21-of-23 shots in the come-from-behind win.
Ryan Miller was solid through 2 1/2 periods but wound up surrendering four goals on 24 shots in the loss for Buffalo, which has dropped four of its last five. Thomas Vanek kept up his terrific season with another goal while Jason Pominville scored for the third straight game in the setback.
Trailing by a goal with 11 minutes gone in the third period, the Penguins tied the game thanks to a power-play goal. From the right circle Sidney Crosby fed a perfect cross-ice pass on the tape of Goligoski for the snap shot.
Matt Cooke, from the back of the net, then fired a pass between defenders to Staal in front for the eventual game-winner with 4:33 to play.
A minute later, Malkin came down on a 3-on-2 break and fed a trailing Fedotenko for a one-timer and a two-goal lead, and Staal's empty netter with 24 ticks remaining sealed the win.
Pominville knocked in a rebound from a bad angle on the right doorstep at the 8:14 mark of the first period for the game's first goal.
A quick whistle nullified a Crosby goal with just over 12 minutes left in the second period, but Pittsburgh got on the board three minutes later.
With a man advantage, Malkin's shot from the top of the right circle hit Miller on the upper body but trickled behind the goaltender and over the goal line to tie the game with 8:53 to go in the frame.
The Sabres answered with a power-play goal from Vanek -- his 13th of the season -- with just 46 seconds left in the second for a 2-1 lead.
Penguins forward Paul Bissonnette cleared waivers on Saturday afternoon and was assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Penguins' AHL affiliate... Malkin has 23 assists on the season...Pittsburgh wraps up a three-game homestand Tuesday against Minnesota, while Buffalo visits Boston Wednesday... The Penguins have won five straight and seven of the last eight meetings with Buffalo.
