Sidney Crosby had two goals and an assist Saturday as the Pittsburgh Penguins held off the visiting Buffalo Sabres 3-1 for their fifth win in a row.
That gave Pittsburgh a sweep of the teams’ home-and-home series after winning 4-3 in overtime Friday in Buffalo.
Rickard Rakell also scored and Jake Guentzel added two assists for the Penguins, who are 12-2-2 in their past 16 games.
Pittsburgh goaltender Casey DeSmith, who had not played since Nov. 26, made 37 saves.
Peyton Krebs scored for the Sabres, who are 5-3-2 in their past 10. Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves.
The Sabres played without top-line winger Jeff Skinner, who earlier Saturday was suspended for three games by the NHL. Skinner received a match penalty because of a cross-check to the face of Guentzel late in Friday’s game.
Also out for Buffalo was defenseman Henri Jokiharju, who got hurt Friday but was able to finish that game.
Pittsburgh top defenseman Kris Letang returned, remarkably just 12 days after he had a stroke for the second time in his career.
Fellow Pittsburgh defenseman Jeff Petry left late in the third because of an apparent left wrist injury.
Rakell opened the scoring on a power play at 4:22 of the first. From the left circle, he deposited a third rebound as the Penguins got off rapid-fire shots.
That gave the Penguins power-play goals in five straight games.
At 6:51 of the first, Crosby increased Pittsburgh’s lead to 2-0. Guentzel, from near the right corner, sent a backhand pass behind the net to Crosby along the end boards. Crosby moved out just past the left post and planted a backhander.
The assist gave Guentzel a seven-game point streak.
At 11:00 of the third, Casey Fitzgerald let loose a blast from the right point, and Krebs deflected it in from above the crease to pull Buffalo to within 2-1.
Crosby restored the two-goal cushion with 1:38 left in regulation on a far-side shot from the left hash marks.
–Field Level Media
