Pens (10-5, 7-2 Road) at Sabres (6-8-1, 3-3-1 Home), 12:30 pm ET, First Niagara Center, NBC Sports
It was only fitting that an ultimate road warrior led the ultimate road team to a 3-1 victory over Winnipeg on Friday. Hockey Buzz’s own “
most underappreciated Penguin,” Craig Adams, scored two goals and drew a phantom interference penalty that led to a game-winning, power-play goal by James Neal. The win was Pittsburgh’s seventh in nine away games – best in the East.
Beau Bennett made his NHL debut, blocking a shot and clearing the puck in a key sequence when the Jets seemed to be dominating play in the Pittsburgh end. He finished pointless but acquitted himself quite nicely.
Coach Bylsma said players took note of Bennett’s block and clearing play.
"The blocked shot probably won over his teammates more than anything else he did in the game,” Bylsma told the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It was a great blocked shot. He stuck with it, and got the puck out. I know the bench was pretty excited to see Beau go down there and make the play."
Bennett’s appearance was surprising if for no other reason than plenty of folks in our Hockey Buzz community believed he wouldn’t see his first NHL action until 2013-2014. Just one week ago,
42 percent of respondents voted that Bennett would not play for the Pens until next season.
Bennett saw 11:10 of his 11:37 skating with Brandon Sutter and Tyler Kennedy.
For those who haven’t heard, the Penguins are searching for a left winger on the Evgeni Malkin line.
Goalie Marc-Andrew Fleury was rightly named the game’s No. 1 star. The netminder came within 95 seconds of securing his 23rd career shutout before the Jets’ Andrew Ladd made things interesting with his seventh goal. The Flower’s next shutout will move him ahead of Tom Barrasso into sole possession of the all-time Penguins’ lead.
It’s appropriate that the Buffalo Sabres will be led on Sunday’s “Hockey Day in America” by American goalie Ryan Miller. The United States won silver in the 2010 Olympics largely because of Miller’s outstanding performance.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, however, have always given the Buffalo goaltender fits. Despite impressive career records against teams like the Boston Bruins (24-7-7), Miller has won only five times against Pittsburgh (5-10-3).
He split two decisions in 2011-12 at home against the Pens. On February 19, 2012, he made 24 saves in a
6-2 victory.
The Penguins won a rematch March 30 by the score of
5-3. Miller stopped 29 of 33 shots in the loss.
Sidney Crosby missed the first game in Buffalo, but netted a goal and three assists in the second. Hockey fans will remember Crosby’s
game-deciding shootout score in the first Winter Classic ever against Ryan Miller.
Crosby has 11 goals and 29 points in 21 games in Buffalo. For the season, the center has the unique symmetry of scoring two goals and five assists in each of the first, second and third periods, respectively, giving him 21 points overall.
Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff had some interesting things to say about the Penguins on Saturday.
"We know that they’re playing well," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told the
Buffalo News. "They’ve probably got as much team speed as Boston. I think the depth of their lineup is just as deep as Boston. Maybe the Boston defenders have a slight edge when it comes to the back end, but I think overall they’re one of the teams that you’re going to have to deal with if you want to get to the top in the East."
The Sabres rallied for a 4-2 home win against Boston on Friday, snapping a two-game losing streak. With a 6-8-1 record through 15 games, Buffalo will be looking to add to its point total Sunday afternoon.
The Penguins, of course, will be looking to continue their winning ways on the road. Pittsburgh has won seven of nine games away from CONSOL Energy Center and is coming off Friday’s win in Winnipeg.
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Quick Quiz:
What’s the difference between Marc-Andre Fleury and Tomas Vokoun?
Answer: Not much, at least statistically.
Fleury holds a 7-3 record with a 2.27 GAA and .915 save percentage.
Vokoun is 3-2 with a 2.27 GAA and .918 save percentage.
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Point Leader
Buffalo’s Thomas Vanek leads the NHL with 11 goals and 24 points but is scoreless in his last three games.
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The lines in practice looked to be the same ones from Friday's game in Winnipeg, according to the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“Defenseman Paul Martin remained on the first power-play unit, with Malkin at the other point. At times, Sidney Crosby rotated up top to the point, but that seemed to be a matter of movement and flow more than an assignment. Kris Letang and Matt Niskanen worked the points on the second power-play unit.”
Penguins Saturday practice lines:
Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Pascal Dupuis
Matt Cooke-Evgeni Malkin-James Neal
Beau Bennett-Brandon Sutter-Tyler Kennedy
Tanner Glass-Joe Vitale-Craig Adams
(Zach Boychuk, Dustin Jeffrey)
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Don Cherry calls the Erik Karlsson injury an accident and absolves Matt Cooke of blame on
Coach’s Corner on Saturday.
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Tweet 'O the Day
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
FYI as per CBA, Matt Cooke no longer considered a repeat offender for purposes of calculating forfeited salary resulting from suspensions
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Treasure Life!
JT
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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