PITTSBURGH — After the Buffalo Sabres tilted the ice late in the second period Wednesday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins needed a response. It wasn’t all that dissimilar from their season to this point: 8-2-2 in October and seven losses in nine November games prior to this one.

Bryan Rust and Kevin Hayes offered the Penguins some important answers during the annual Thanksgiving Eve affair, scoring key third-period goals amid a scoring flurry that propelled Pittsburgh to a 4-2 victory against Buffalo at PPG Paints Arena.

Twenty-nine seconds after Jack Quinn scored on a shot that it looked like Jason Zucker deflected, Rust turned and slid a shot from the right circle that sailed through Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s legs.

Great job by Rust sticking with his shot and weaving round defenseman Bowen Byram for a clean look.

It was the first goal since Nov. 6 for Rust, his sixth of the season. Apparently missing practice the past two days with an illness had little effect.

Providing what would become essential insurance, Kevin Hayes extended the lead to two goals at 12:34 of the third, cutting to the net, slipping past the Sabres defense and finishing a pass from Erik Karlsson.

That became necessary when the Penguins lost track of Quinn, and Zucker fed him perfectly in the slot for a goal at 15:42 of the third.

It was a solid defensive effort for the Penguins, who began the game having permitted the second-fewest goals in the NHL (48). The Penguins have now held their opponent to two or fewer goals 10 times in 22 tries, going 7-0-3 in those games.

The first period featured little in the way of action, as the teams combined for just 21 shot attempts and put seven on goal. It took Buffalo 7:36 to get its first shot on net.

Despite the low-event hockey — the teams did combine for 15 giveaways — Matt Dumba ensured the Penguins hit .333 with his first goal as a Penguin, the marker coming at 17:09.

Following a turnover by Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins, Dumba fired a shot from atop the right circle that clicked the stick of Timmins’ partner in Byram. The wobbling puck beat glove-side.

It was the first goal in 26 games for Dumba dating back to last season.

The Penguins couldn't build on their lead in the second, although they did have several solid chances.

Tristan Broz, making his NHL debut, got a clean look from the left circle. Rust and Sidney Crosby executed a nifty give-and-go play before Evgeni Malkin pump faked his way into an empty shooting lane. After amassing just three shots on goal in the first, the Penguins had seven in the first 10 minutes of the second.

Buffalo tilted the ice late in the period, firing a bunch of pucks at Tristan Jarry. One sequence featured Jarry denying Zucker on one side before another ex-teammate, Timmins, hit the outside of the right post.

For someone who hadn't played an NHL game since Nov. 3, Jarry hardly looked rusty, especially as the Penguins weathered that late-second storm.

Jarry's movements were quiet. He wasn't out of position much. It was the type of game Jarry played plenty over the first stretch of the season, when he went 5-2-0 with a 2.60 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.

It was over when …

Connor Dewar put the game away with an empty-net goal.

Stat of the game

15: Wins for the Penguins in their last 22 games against Buffalo (15-6-1). They're 9-2-0 in their past 11 at home versus the Sabres.

Around the boards

• Prior to the game, the Penguins re-assigned Sergei Murashov to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It’s the right move. Jarry needs to play. Murashov needs to develop. No need to force anything. Plus, with reported interest in Jarry trade-wise, the best thing the Penguins can do is play their No. 1 netminder and hope other teams take notice.

• Ben Kindel and Connor Clifton were healthy scratches. In Kindel's case, it tracks with how the Penguins have wanted to handle him, building in periods where he can unplug and review his game. Over the past half-dozen contests, Kindel has been less noticeable. This probably wasn’t the worst time to miss one for the 18-year-old.

• Broz, who enjoyed the customary solo lap in warmup, became the NHL-high ninth rookie to dress in a game for the Penguins. No NHL team has dressed more skaters (29) period than the Penguins this season.

• In addition to activating Jarry from injured reserve, the Penguins did the same for Ville Koivunen, who only missed three games due to a lower-body injury. Koivunen started the game on a third line with Broz and Tommy Novak.

• Speaking of Penguins prospects, Rutger McGroarty scored again for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday. That's three goals in as many games played for a forward who should return to Pittsburgh soon.

Up next

The Penguins are scheduled to practice on Thanksgiving, although chances of that getting sacked are high. Wednesday started a stretch of three games in four days, and Pittsburgh has already practiced twice this week.

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