PITTSBURGH PENGUINS NOTES:
LAST 2 GAMES
Dec. 6: Pittsburgh 4, Columbus 1 – PPG Paints Arena
PIT Goals: Crosby (2), Rust, Blueger (EN)
Multiple Points: Rust (1G-1A), Crosby (2G), Guentzel (2A)
Goalie: Jarry (38 saves/39 shots)
Key Stats: Sidney Crosby’s two-goal effort helped the Penguins extend their win streak to three games.
PP: 1-5
PK: 5-5
Dec. 3: Pittsburgh 6, St. Louis 2 – PPG Paints Arena
PIT Goals: Kapanen (3), Rust, Zucker, Crosby (EN)
Multiple Points: Rust (1G-3A), Kapanen (3G), Malkin (3A),
Zucker (1G-2A)
Goalie: Jarry (26 saves/28 shots)
Key Stats: Kasperi Kapanen recorded his second career hat trick (3G) as Pittsburgh picked up points for the eighth time in the last nine games (7-1-1).
PP: 2-4
PK: 2-2
INJURIES
Position Player Status Consecutive Games Missed Total Games Missed
D Kris Letang Stroke 4 5
F Ryan Poehling Upper-Body 1 1
2022-23 Total Regular-Season Man-Games Lost: 35
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Date Transaction
Nov. 15 F Teddy Blueger activated off of LTIR. F Filip Hallander re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Nov. 13 D Mark Friedman re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Nov. 11 D Mark Friedman recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). F Sam Poulin re-assigned to WBS.
Nov. 7 F Filip Hallander recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Nov. 6 F Drew O’Connor re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL).
Pittsburgh’s All-Time Record vs. Sabres: 98-67-41
In Pittsburgh: 58-26-20
In Buffalo: 40-41-21
OT Record vs. Buffalo: 11-8-16
Shootout Record vs. Sabres: 4-2
2022-23 Results: Pittsburgh is 0-1-0.
Penguins All-Time Point Leaders vs. SABRES:
Sidney Crosby: 54 GP, 77 PTS (25G-52A)
Jaromir Jagr: 47 GP, 70 PTS (31G-29A)
Mario Lemieux: 40 GP, 70 PTS (29G-41A)
TONIGHT’S GAME
- The Penguins take on the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center for their second meeting of the 2022-23 season and the first of back-to-back games against Buffalo (TV: AT&T SportsNet; Radio: 105.9 The X).
- In the last 11 games at Buffalo, Pittsburgh has gone 7-2-2, outscoring them 38-24 with a power-play conversion rate of 46.4% (13/28).
- The Penguins have points in 16 of their last 18 visits to Buffalo (13-2-3) dating back to Mar. 30, 2012.
- Pittsburgh enters tonight’s game with points in seven-straight road games (6-0-1).
QUICK HITS
1) Sidney Crosby (35) is one of just three players along with Erik Karlsson (32) and Artemi Panarin (31) to rank in the top-15 in scoring in the NHL over the age of 30.
2) Winger Rickard Rakell has 10 points (4G-6A) in 15 career games versus the Sabres, which includes points in four of his last six visits there (2G-3A).
3) Last game, Jeff Petry logged his highest time-on-ice total of the year (27:00). It marked his highest single-game total since May 3, 2021 against Toronto (27:11). Petry has been plus or even in 10 of his last 11 games.
4) Rickard Rakell recorded his 200th NHL assist on Tuesday against Columbus. In doing so, he became the 15th member of his draft class to accumulate 200 or more assists.
5) Bryan Rust has six points (2G-4A) over his last two games. In that span, no Penguin has more points, and his six points are tied for sixth in the NHL.
TEAM NOTES
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Pittsburgh enters tonight’s game with a three-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest active win streak in the NHL with Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Nashville. The Penguins have also won each of their last four road games, which trails only New Jersey (11), Seattle (6) and Vancouver (5) for the longest active road winning streak in the league. Dating back to November 9, Pittsburgh has points in 12 of its last 14 games overall (10-2-2). Since this 14-game stretch began, only New Jersey (23) and Toronto (23) have picked up more points than the Penguins (22) and during this span, they have vaulted from 27th in the league standings to 10th (tied).
BEST IN THE BUSINESS
Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby has been nothing short of dominant all season, as he enters tonight’s game tied for eighth in the NHL with 35 points (15G-20A) in 26 games. Of his 35 points, 29 of them have come at even strength (13G-16A) which is first in the NHL, and he ranks in the top-20 in almost every major offensive category:
Crosby is one of just three players in the NHL with at least 15 goals and 20 assists along with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
He enters tonight’s game riding a six-game (5G-3A) point streak, and has points in 10 of his last 11 games (9G-10A). Only Mitch Marner (21), Kirill Kaprizov (13), Steven Stamkos (12), Connor McDavid (7), Michael Bunting (7) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (7) have longer active point streaks than Crosby.
OFFENSIVE THREAT
Through the first 26 games, Pittsburgh has been one of the most dangerous teams in the league offensively. The
Penguins’ 92 goals for are 10th-most in the NHL, but their 3.54 goals-per-game average is eighth best.
JAKE N’ BAKE
Jake Guentzel enters tonight’s game riding a five-game assist/point streak (2G-6A). It marks the first time in his career he’s picked up assists in five-consecutive games, and is currently tied for the second-longest active assist streak in the NHL.
BRICK WALL
Tristan Jarry enters tonight’s game having picked up points in each of his last nine games (7-0-2). Jarry has been one of the hottest goalies in the NHL since Nov. 17. In nine career starts against Buffalo, Jarry is 7-2-0 with a 2.22 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and one shutout. In Buffalo, he is 3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average, a .954 save percentage and his lone shutout versus them came at KeyBank Center on Dec. 1, 2017.
BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:
LAST GAME
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Buffalo 9 at Columbus 4
Goals: Thompson (5), Cozens, Dahlin, Krebs, Tuch
Goalie: Luukkonen (20 saves/24 shots)
PP: 3/5; PK: 2/2; Shots: Buffalo 30 – Columbus 24
CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 62)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Eric Comrie (Lower body, Nov. 19; IR) – 9 games
Ilya Lyubushkin (Lower body, Nov. 30; IR) – 4 games
Vinnie Hinostroza (Undisclosed) – 2 games
TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
12/4: Activated D Jacob Bryson off IR; Placed D Ilya Lyubushkin on IR
UPCOMING GAMES
Saturday, Dec. 10: Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 13: Los Angeles at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 15: Buffalo at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 17: Buffalo at Arizona, 9 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 19: Buffalo at Vegas, 10 p.m.
TONIGHT’S GAME
PENGUINS at SABRES
• This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and the Penguins this season.
• Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Pittsburgh 6-3 in Buffalo on Nov. 2, 2022.
• Next meeting: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 in Pittsburgh.
• The Sabres are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games against the Penguins; 4-6-0 at home.
• This is the 207th game all-time between Buffalo and Pittsburgh; Buffalo has a 73-89-44 series record.
• The Sabres are 45-35-22 at home against the Penguins all-time.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• Five Sabres skaters (Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, Jack Quinn, Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson) have recorded at least one point in each of the team’s last five games.
• Tage Thompson has notched 37 points (20+17) in his last 19 games.
• In his current five-game point streak, Thompson owns 14 points (8+6).
• Thompson is also riding a five-game assist streak, the longest of his career.
• Thompson has tallied seven goals in his last three games, including at least one in each of the last three.
• Dylan Cozens has tallied 19 points (6+13) in his last 13 games and is riding a five-game point streak, the longest of his career.
• Cozens recorded 12 points (5+7) during his point streak.
• Jeff Skinner has tallied 19 points (9+10) in his last 11 games, including 17 (7+10) in his last eight.
• Skinner has recorded more multi-point games (9) than single-point games (7) in 2022-23.
• Skinner has recorded multiple points in three consecutive games and a multi-point performance in tonight’s game would give him the longest streak of multi-point games in his career.
• Rasmus Dahlin is riding a five-game point and assist streak and has recorded 15 points (2+13) in his last 11 games.
• With a point in tonight’s game, Dahlin would match the longest point streak of his career.
• An assist in tonight’s game would give Dahlin the longest assist streak of his career.
• Jack Quinn owns 10 points (5+5) in his last nine games, including six points (3+3) during his current five-game point streak.
• Alex Tuch is riding a three-game point streak and has recorded six points (3+3) in that span, including at least one goal in each game.
• With a goal in tonight’s game, Tuch would match the longest goal streak of his career.
MR. MADISON, THERE’S NO PENGUIN
• The Sabres have recorded at least one point in each of their last four meetings with Pittsburgh.
• Kyle Okposo has recorded at least one point in four straight games against the Penguins.
• Tage Thompson has notched multiple points in each of his last two games against Pittsburgh.
• Rasmus Dahlin owns four points (1+3) in his last four games against the Penguins.
• A point in tonight’s game would give Alex Tuch a three-game point streak against Pittsburgh.
STAGE FRIGHT
• Tage Thompson is one of nine skaters in NHL history who have recorded multiple games of three or more goals and six or more points in a single season.
o Thompson is the second skater in Sabres history to record multiple six-point games in a single season (Pat LaFontaine, 1991-92). He is the only Sabres skater to accomplish the feat within the team’s first 26 games.
• Through Buffalo’s first 26 games, Thompson is on pace for 126 points and would become just the third Sabres skater to record 126 or more points in a single season (Pat LaFontaine, 148 points in 1992-93; Alexander Mogilny, 127 points in 1992-93)
• Thompson is also on pace to score 66 goals in 2022-23, which would make him the second skater in franchise history to score 66 or more goals in a single season.
Alexander Mogilny’s 76 goals in 1992-93 is the only other instance of a Sabres skater recording 66 or more goals in a single season. No other Sabres skater has ever scored 60 or more goals in a single season.
• Entering play on Thursday and dating back to Oct. 29, Thompson was tied for first in the NHL in goals (20), points (37) and points per game (1.95).
• Thompson leads all Sabres skaters in goals (21), points (40), even-strength goals (11), even-strength points (23), points per game (1.54), shots (121) and power-play goals (9).
• Thompson ranks first among all Sabres forwards in time on ice per game (18:31) and is tied for first among all Sabres skaters in time on ice per shift (0:49).
• According to Natural Stat Trick, Thompson leads all Sabres skaters with 55 individual high-danger scoring chances and he leads the team with 44 individual high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5.
• Entering play on Thursday, Thompson ranked third among all NHL skaters with 121 shots on goal and was one of four NHL players who had recorded 120 or more shots in 2022-23.
• Thompson owned the highest shooting percentage (17.4) among the four skaters who had recorded 120 or more shots on goal.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
• Five Sabres skaters (Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch) are currently scoring at a point per game pace or better through the team’s first 26 games.
o The Sabres have never had a season in which five or more players have recorded at least one point per game played (Min. 25 games played).
• The Sabres have converted on 29.0 percent of their power-play opportunities through their first 26 games of 2022-23.
• The current franchise record for power-play percentage in a single season is 24.5 percent, set in 2016-17.
• An NHL team has only recorded a power-play percentage of 29.0 percent or higher in a single season seven other times in NHL history.
• Buffalo currently owns a 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage of 52.6 percent, the highest mark by a Sabres team in a single season since the league began tracking the stat in 2009-10.
• Buffalo’s 4.00 goals scored per game is the highest by a Sabres team since the 1980-81 Sabres recorded 4.09 goals per game.
LINE RIDER
• According to Natural Stat Trick, the line of Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch owns a corsi for percentage of 63.36 and an expected goals for percentage of 58.20.
• When on the ice together, Skinner, Thompson and Tuch have recorded 37 goals and allowed just 13.
• The trio has recorded a combined 46 goals on the season, 44.23 percent of all goals scored by Buffalo skaters in 2022-23.
• Skinner (nine multi-point games), Thompson (10 multi-point games) and Tuch (six multi-point games) have all recorded multiple points in at least six games in 2022-23.
• There have been 19 instances of a Sabres skater tallying three or more points in a single game in 2022-23 and 12 of the 19 were recorded by Skinner, Thompson or Tuch.
• Skinner (two times), Thompson (three times) and Tuch (one time) are the only Sabres skaters who have recorded four or more points in a single game in 2022-23.
• Skinner (31 points, 12+19), Thompson (40 points, 21+19) and Tuch (28 points, 13+15) all rank in the top three in points among Sabres forwards.
• In Buffalo’s last five games, the trio has recorded 31 combined points (14+17).
THE KIDS TABLE
• Cozens (21), Peterka (20) and Quinn (21) are all 21 years of age or younger.
• According to Natural Stat Trick, the line combination consisting of Dylan Cozens, JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn has produced 35 high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5 when playing together for the Sabres in 2022-23.
• All but three of the high-danger scoring chances they have created as a line have come at 5-on-5.
• Cozens and Quinn are both one of eight NHL skaters aged 21 or younger who have recorded a point streak of five or more games in 2022-23.
• At 5-on-5, the line’s expected goals for percentage is 62.21 and their corsi for percentage is 55.19.
• The line’s collective 5-on-5 corsi for percentage and 5-on-5 expected goals for percentage are higher than each individual member’s percentages without the other two.
• Entering play on Thursday, Cozens was tied for second in points (27) among NHL skaters aged 21 or younger.
• Cozens is one of 19 NHL skaters aged 21 or younger, and the first since Erik Karlsson (Jan. 20 to Feb. 25, 2012), who has recorded three or more points in three consecutive games at least one time.
• Three points in tonight’s game would make Cozens one of four skaters aged 21 or younger to record three or more points in four consecutive games.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Buffalo is 8-1-0 in games in which Rasmus Dahlin records multiple points in 2022-23.
• Dahlin is on pace for 104 points this season, which would shatter Phil Housley’s single-season franchise points record by a Sabres defenseman (81).
• Dahlin would be the first NHL defensemen since Paul Coffey (113 points) in 1988-89 to record 104 or more points in a single season.
• Dahlin is on pace for 29 goals and would become the first defenseman in NHL history to record 104 or more points in a single season without scoring 30 goals.
• Entering play on Thursday, among NHL defensemen, Dahlin ranked first in points per game (1.28), second in goals (9), second in points (32), first in power-play points (17), tied for first in power-play goals (4), and fourth in time on ice per game (25:41).
• Through his first 25 games, Dahlin has only failed to record a point on four occasions (Oct. 27 vs. Montreal, Nov. 12 vs. Boston, Nov. 23 vs. St. Louis and Nov. 25 vs. New Jersey).
• Dahlin (642:11) and Owen Power (613:49) are the only Sabres skaters who have logged more than 600 or more minutes of ice time through the team’s first 26 games.
• Entering play on Thursday, only five skaters in the NHL had skated more minutes than Dahlin in 2022-23.
UNLIMITED POWER
• Entering play on Thursday, Owen Power and Jake Sanderson were the only defensemen aged 20 or younger who had notched 10 or more points this season.
• Entering play on Thursday, Owen Power ranked tied for third among rookie defensemen in points (10) and was tied for second in even-strength points (7).
• Entering play on Thursday, Power led all rookie skaters in time on ice per game (23:37), with the next closest rookie at 20:55 (Sanderson).
• Power’s time on ice per game trails just Tyler Myers (23:44) in 2009-10 for the most by a Sabres rookie in a single season.
• Power leads all Sabres skaters in even-strength time on ice per game (20:44). No Sabres rookie has ever averaged more than 20 minutes of even-strength time on ice per game.
AMERKS UPDATE
• The Rochester Americans host the Utica Comets tonight at 7:05 and are looking to get back in the win column after dropping their last two contests.
• The Amerks are currently second in the North division, trailing first-place Toronto by three points.
• Brett Murray leads the Amerks with nine goals in 21 games this season. He has nine points (4+5) in the last eight games.
SABRES AMONG LEAGUE-LEADERS (Sabres’ league rankings before 12/8 games)
• Buffalo Sabres: 104 GF (1st), 4.00 GF/GP (1st), 29.0 PP% (3rd), 32.5 S/GP (9th)
• Rasmus Asplund: 1 SHG (T-8th)
• Dylan Cozens: 1 SHG (T-8th), 2 SHP (T-5th)
• Rasmus Dahlin: 23 A (T-9th), 25:41 TOI/GP (4th), 17 PPP (4th)
• Casey Mittelstadt: 1 SHG (T-8th)
• Victor Olofsson: 1 OTG (T-8th)
• Tage Thompson: 21 G (3rd), 40 P (4th), 1.54 P/GP (5th), 11 EVG (T-9th), 23 EVP (T-5th), 9 PPG (T-3rd), 16 PPP (T-5th), 1 SHG (T-8th), 121 S (3rd)
• Alex Tuch: 4 GWG (T-2nd)
SABRES REAL-TIME STATS LEADERS
Shots: Thompson (121), Skinner (82), Dahlin (81)
Hits: Dahlin (40), Lyubushkin (36), Samuelsson (25)
Blocked Shots: Dahlin (43), Bryson (37), Power (31)
SABRES’ RECORD IN 10 GAME SEGMENTS [W-L-OTL (PTS), GF/GA, PP, PK]
1-10: 7-3-0 (14), 43/28, 9/38, 25/32
11-20: 2-8-0 (4), 32/42, 12/42, 23/34
21-30: 3-2-1 (7), 29/26, 8/20, 15/21
OVERTIME RESULTS (1-1; 131-147 all-time)
Oct. 29 vs. CHI: W, 4-3 (GWG-Olofsson)
Nov. 28 vs. TBL: L, 6-5 (GWG-Stamkos)
SHOOTOUT RESULTS (1-0; 85-77 all-time)
Nov. 30 at DET: W, 5-4 (GWG-Quinn)
