Penguins
Penguins Game 5, Milestones Await; Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs. Sabres
The Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2-0) won two of three games on their Atlantic Division road trip and are awaiting a pair of milestones from franchise greats. They face the Buffalo Sabres (1-3-0) on Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena.
The puck drops just after 7 p.m.
The Penguins surged past the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell Monday, turning a 2-0 lead into a 3-2 deficit before a 6-3 win. The bottom six was fantastic, and the fourth line with Cody Glass, Noel Acciari, and Kevin Hayes provided the game-winner when Hayes banged in a rebound.
Read More: Penguins Report Card: Unheralded Impact; Jarry Down, then Up (+)
Evgeni Malkin got the empty netter for goal No. 499. Sidney Crosby remains stuck on point No. 1599. Perhaps we’ll be treated to a Crosby-Malkin goal tonight for Malkin goal No. 500 and Crosby point No. 1600. Only nine players in NHL history have reached the 1600 milestone.
The Penguins’ bottom-six was also a big story. Lars Eller had a pair of goals, and Kevin Hayes scored the game-winner. In fact, the third line with Eller (6-foot-2), Drew O’Connor (6-foot-3), and Jesse Puljujarvi (6-foot-4) was the biggest trio in Penguins memory.
Buffalo is off to a scrapper start. They began the season 1-3-0 after getting swept in both games by the Ottawa Senators in Czechia as part of the NHL Global Series. Tempers flared at practice Monday when teammates Rasmus Dahlin and Peyton Krebs got into a fight.
Read More: Tempers Flare at Sabres Practice.
The Sabres are currently last in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division but remain one of the Penguins’ chief rivals for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. On Saturday at the KeyBank Center, the Sabres beat the Florida Panthers 5-2.
Follow Buffalo Hockey Now beat writer Jason Moser on X here.
Penguins Lines
Anthony Beauvillier-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Rickard Rakell
Drew O’Connor-Lars Eller-Jesse Puljujarvi
Kevin Hayes-Cody Glass-Noel Acciari
Defense
Matt Grzelcyk-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-Erik Karlsson
Ryan Graves-Jack St. Ivany
Goalie: Tristan Jarry
Sabres Lines (Expected)
JJ Peterka-Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch
Zach Benson-Dylan Cozens-Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway-Ryan McCleod-Jason Zucker
Beck Malenstyn-Peyton Krebbs-Sam Lafferty
Defense
Rasmus Dahlin-Henri Jokiharju
Bowen Byram-Owen Power
Mattias Samuelsson-Connor Clifton
Goalie: Ukko-Pekka Luokkonen
Special Teams
Penguins Power Play: 2-for-10, 20%. 16th. Penguins Penalty Kill: 2-for-12. 83.3% 14th.
Sabres Power Play: 0-for-14. 0%. 29th. Sabres Penalty Kill: 3-for-13, 76.9% 21st.
Game Notes
*Evgeni Malkin has 499 goals, one away from the 500-goal milestone. He has seven points (1-6-7) in four games this season.
*The Penguins are 11-5-1 in their last 17 games against Buffalo and 7-2-0 in their last nine games against Buffalo at PPG Paints Arena.
*Erik Karlsson’s 40 points (14-26-40) and Kris Letang’s 33 points (6-27-33) against the Sabres rank first and second, respectively, among active defensemen.
*The Penguins have an overall record of 388-90-47 when both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin record a point in a game.
*The Pittsburgh (Mario Lemieux & Crosby) will become the second team in NHL history with three 500-goal scorers. The Montreal Canadiens (Guy Lafleur, Jean Beliveau & Maurice Richard) are
How to Watch
TV: TNT
Radio: 105.9 The X