Sidney Crosby scored the overtime game winner to propel the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-5 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night at PPG Paints Center.

Bryan Rust, Drew O’Connor, Jesse Puljujarvi, Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell and Crosby all scored for the Penguins. Tristan Jarry got the start in net for Pittsburgh, allowing three goals on five shots in the first period, before being lifted for Joel Blomqvist who finshed the night with 26 saves.

JJ Peterka scored two goals in his return to play, while Tage Thompson, Jordan Greenway and Ryan McLeod each scored a goal. Four Sabres, Peterka (2+0), Jason Zucker (0+2), Alex Tuch (0+2), and Bowen Byram (0+2), had two-point nights. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made his third start of the season and made 36 saves on 42 shots.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Period

The Sabres jumped on the Penguins quickly in the opening period, scoring three goals from three different players.

Thompson started the scoring 43 seconds into the game, forcing Jarry into a turnover behind the net and then scoring on a wrap-around attempt. Then, just a little more than two minutes later, Greenway picked up a Jason Zucker pass at the left faceoff circle and snapped it past Jarry to give the Sabres a 2-0 lead.

Bryan Rust answered back for the Penguins on the power play, scoring on a puck that rebounded off Luukkonen to decrease the deficit to one, but that wouldn’t last long.

Twenty-four seconds later, Alex Tuch gained possession of the puck in the defensive zone and sent it up to Bowen Byram. Byram passed across on a 2-on-1 rush to Peterka, who shot it below Jarry’s glove to put the Sabres up 3-1. Jarry was replaced by Blomqvist following the goal.

Second Period

The Sabres had the offensive advantage to start the period with Peterka getting two breakaways, one that was stuffed by Blomqvist’s pad and another that hit the right post. Zach Benson added another breakaway for the Sabres, but Blomqvist made the stop.

The Penguins’ comeback began with the Sabres on a 4-on-3 power play. Noel Acciari forced a turnover at the Pittsburgh blue line and took off on a 2-on-1 rush, which O’Connor finished with a goal from the right circle. Puljujarvi added the tying goal with 4:40 left in the period, burying a backhand shot from in tight after he was left alone on the rush.

Third Period

The Penguins broke the 3-3 tie, and gained their first lead of the night on a goal by Malkin, which was assisted by Crosby.

The Sabres eventually broke though with two goals in the span of 40 seconds. Henri Jokiharju sent a long outlet pass to Peterka, who was positioned at the Penguins blue line. Peterka’s goal evened the game once more, this time at 4-4. McLeod then followed up with his first goal as a Buffalo Sabre to give the Sabres a 5-4 lead.

With less than a minute remaining in the period, the Penguins pulled Blomqvist from their net and converted with the extra-attacker to send the game to overtime.

Overtime

Sidney Crosby scored the game winner, a power play goal, for the Penguins 1:38 into the overtime period.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

UP NEXT

The Sabres will travel to Columbus for game two of their three-game road trip. Puck drop tomorrow night against the Blue Jackets is scheduled for 7 p.m. on MSG and WGR550.