Buffalo rallies from 3 goals down to send Pittsburgh to its fourth loss in row.
By Wes Crosby / NHL.com Correspondent
PITTSBURGH, PA. — Jack Eichel scored 45 seconds into overtime after the Buffalo Sabres came back from down three goals in a 5-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.
The Sabres have won six straight and sent the Penguins to their fourth straight defeat.
Eichel shot under Casey DeSmith’s blocker from the right face-off circle for his fifth goal of the season.
After Zach Bogosian and Casey Nelson scored to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-3, Casey Mittelstadt tied it 4-4 at 11:12 of the third period.
Carter Hutton made 36 saves for Buffalo (13-6-2), which has won six straight for the first time since Dec. 27, 2009-Jan. 8, 2010.
DeSmith made 35 saves for the Penguins (7-8-4), who are 1-7-2 in their past 10 games.
Derick Brassard and Phil Kessel scored for the Penguins, and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, in the first period. Jake Guentzel and Tanner Pearson scored to give the Penguins a 4-1 lead in the second period.
Brassard skated by Rasmus Dahlin for a breakaway before shooting past Hutton’s blocker to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 8:46 of the first with his second goal this season.
Thompson scored on a one-timer over DeSmith’s shoulder into the upper-left corner of Pittsburgh’s net, tying it 1-1 at 11:43 of the first.
Kessel deflected a pass from Pearson in from the right post to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-1 at 16:15 of the first.
Guentzel made it 3-1 at 1:24 of the second by collecting a rebound and shooting past a diving Hutton. It was upheld after the Sabres challenged for goaltender interference.
Pearson gave the Penguins a 4-1 lead at 5:00 of the second period. It was his first goal since being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 14.
Bogosian cut it to 4-2 at 10:39 of the second on a one-timer from atop the right face-off circle before Nelson made it 4-3 with a snap shot at 18:12 of that period.