Penguins start road trip with powerful display in Buffalo, snapping three-game skid

Jason Mackey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jan 17, 2025

Published in Hockey

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rickard Rakell got things going. Cody Glass, Alex Nedeljkovic and a few others did the rest, as the Penguins opened a long road trip with a powerful display.

One so dominant that even their goaltender got involved, part of a two-point night for him.

Pittsburgh scored three times in the second period and cruised to a 5-2 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday at KeyBank Center, snapping a three-game losing streak as their season reaches make-or-break time.

Rakell opened the scoring just 101 seconds into the middle frame. Glass and Philip Tomasino also found the back of the net, while Bryan Rust notched his 18th just 1:09 into the third period to give the Penguins (19-20-8) ample breathing room.

Three of the Penguins’ five goals came on the power play, the third time this season that has happened. Ironically, the power-play outburst came against a Sabres penalty kill that was operating at 88% since Dec. 23, fourth-best in the NHL during that time.

After Buffalo closed to within two on left winger Zach Benson’s goal at 14:46 of the third, the Sabres pulled their goalie. Nedeljkovic made them pay, flinging the puck the length of the ice and finding the precise middle of the cage at 17:18 of the third period.

The Penguins’ second-period blitz began with a penalty drawn by Rust, then Rakell provided a lightning-quick finish on a pass from his linemate. Rakell’s goal, scored on a one-time blast from the right circle at 1:41 of the period, was his team-high 23rd of the year.

Rust’s pass was solid, but it had nothing on what Glass did to set up Anthony Beauvillier just 27 seconds later to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead. Following a terrific backcheck, Glass gathered the puck and sent a lengthy pass through the neutral zone to Beauvillier at the offensive blue line.

Beauvillier had slipped past Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju and converted the mini-breakaway by getting to his forehand and beating Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen glove-side at 2:08.

The Penguins upped their lead to 3-1 with another power-play goal, this one coming after Jokiharju tripped Evgeni Malkin midway through the second period. After his pass to set up Beauvillier, Tomasino took care of Glass, driving wide and turning to deliver a pass back to Glass in the slot.

Glass converted easily at 11:43 for his second of the season, as the Penguins scored on three of their first six shots in the middle period.

The Penguins did plenty well offensively, but the most impressive thing might’ve been the goaltending provided by Nedeljkovic, who made several timely saves.

After a breakaway stop in the opening period, Nedeljkovic made another at 8:52, denying Benson and allowing play to continue the other way. Glass would score 35 seconds later.

When defenseman Bowen Byram curled into the slot for a chance at 14:13 of the second, Nedeljkovic was there. Ditto for left wing Jason Zucker’s blast from atop the right circle at 17:06.

It was a welcomed turnaround for someone (Nedeljkovic) who has struggled away from home. Before Friday, Nedeljkovic had been 0-6-4 in his previous 10 road starts, with a 3.87 goals-against average and .861 save percentage.

Killing penalties has been a struggle for the Penguins recently, the team ceding eight power-play goals on 19 chances (kill rate of 57.9%) during the past eight games. That issue crept up again in the first period after a double minor assessed to Malkin for high-sticking.

Nobody pressured Sabres defenseman Owen Power, who had too much time and space. Power wristed one from 38 feet that beat Nedeljkovic glove side for a 1-0 Sabres lead at 15:16.

Buffalo nearly doubled its lead less than a minute later, as Sidney Crosby tried a risky pass through the neutral zone that was picked off and turned the other way. Erik Karlsson was caught flat-footed and Sabres left wing JJ Peterka gained a step, but Nedeljkovic thwarted the breakaway.

Ice chips

— Kris Letang (illness) was a surprise scratch, and his absence forced coach Mike Sullivan to rework the Penguins’ top two defensive pairs. Marcus Pettersson started the game with Matt Grzelcyk playing on the right side and Owen Pickering skating next to Karlsson. The other two scratches were Ryan Shea and Matt Nieto.

— The Penguins have now scored at least one power-play goal in nine of their past 12 games dating back to Nov. 23.

— The goal for Rakell was his 16th since Nov. 27. Nobody in the NHL has more during that span. Rakell also has eight goals in his past 12 games.

— Glass’ goal was the first for him in his past 24 road contests.

— Only Rakell has more goals this season than Rust, who notched his 18th when he was left all alone in the left circle and converted at 1:09 of the third.

Up next

The Penguins travel to Washington, D.C., where they’ll find a Capitals team occupies first place in the Metropolitan Division and has gone 6-1-3 in its past 10 games.