Buffalo ends its nearly 4-game scoring drought on Jason Pominville’s goal.
By Wes Crosby / NHL.com Correspondent
PITTSBURGH, PA. — Tristan Jarry made 32 saves to help the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Buffalo Sabres for a second straight night, 5-1 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.
Jarry, who has assumed the starting role with Matt Murray recovering from a lower-body injury, made 34 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 win against the Sabres on Friday. He has won in four straight appearances after beginning his NHL career 0-1-2.
Pittsburgh (15-10-3) has won four straight games since losing its previous three in regulation.
Evgeni Malkin opened the scoring in the first period with his first goal since returning Friday from missing four games with an upper-body injury. Carl Hagelin and Patric Hornqvist each scored in the second period to give Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead.
Jason Pominville cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 3-1 at 11:18 of the third period. The goal was Buffalo’s first in 232:09 dating to Nov. 24, when Kyle Okposo scored into an empty net with 51 seconds remaining in a 3-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers.
Phil Kessel made it 4-1 at 13:14 before Sidney Crosby pushed it to 5-1 by scoring into an empty net at 18:58.
The Sabres (6-17-4) have lost 11 of their past 12 games (1-9-2).
Malkin scored with 1:16 remaining in the first period to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. He carried the puck down the far wall and shot over a sliding Marco Scandella and Chad Johnson’s glove.
Hagelin extended the lead to 2-0 when he carried the puck above Buffalo’s crease. Johnson fell forward while tracking the play, allowing Hagelin to shoot over him at 5:36 of the second period.
Hornqvist made it 3-0 during a 4-on-3 power play with 1:00 remaining in the second. Crosby stickhandled around Jack Eichel and slid a pass for Hornqvist to tap past Johnson for his 10th goal of the season.
Sabres defenseman Nathan Beaulieu played 7:46 before leaving with an undisclosed injury.
*NOTES — The Buffalo Sabres announced on Saturday that the team recalled forward Hudson Fasching from the Rochester Americans. Fasching (22, 6-foot-, 204 lbs.) joins the Sabres for the first time this season after recording three points (1+2) in 17 games for the team during the last two seasons. Playing in his second AHL season in 2017-18, the Milwaukee, WI., native has totaled 9 points and is tied for the Amerks’ team lead with 6 goals…The Sabres continue their road trip with 3 games next week in Colorado, Chicago, and St. Louis.