Jack Eichel paces Buffalo with 2 goals as Carter Hutton make 41 saves.
By Wes Crosby / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
PITTSBURGH, PA. — Jack Eichel scored two power-play goals and Carter Hutton made 41 saves for the Buffalo Sabres in a 5-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.
Jeff Skinner ended his 22-game goal drought for the Sabres (28-25-8), who have won four of their past five games. They are nine points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild spot into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Evgeni Malkin scored two goals, and Tristan Jarry made 21 saves for Pittsburgh (37-17-6), which has been outscored 9-2 in two straight losses after winning its previous three by a combined score of 14-4. The Penguins and Washington Capitals, who lost 3-2 at the New Jersey Devils, remained tied for first place in the Metropolitan Division; they play Sunday at Capital One Arena.
Zemgus Girgensons put the Sabres ahead 1-0 on the second shot of the game 14 seconds into the first period. Kyle Okposo stopped the puck behind the Penguins net before passing out front to Girgensons for a wrist shot from the slot.
Sam Reinhart, who had the second assist, made it 2-0 at 6:48 on a wrist shot past Jarry’s blocker after he intercepted a pass from Penguins defenseman Kris Letang.
Eichel scored a power-play goal on a wrist shot, extending the lead to 3-0 at 10:51.
Malkin cut it to 3-1 with a wrist shot from the slot at 11:10 of the second period.
Skinner redirected a pass from Marcus Johansson past Jarry to make it 4-1 at 5:39 of the third period. The goal was his first since Dec. 2 against the New Jersey Devils.
Eichel scored his second goal at 12:17 during another power play for a 5-1 lead. He is tied for fourth in the League with 35 goals and has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak.
Malkin made it 5-2 when he scored with 2:03 remaining.
Up next
The Sabres return home to face the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday at 3 pm.