Buffalo hit an unsweet sixteen, falling in a shutout against the Penguins Thursday night. They have been shutout seven times this year, which is more than they have won this season (6).
Prior to tonight’s game time, the Sabres (6-22-4) announced general manager Kevyn Adams will serve as head coach with interim head coach Don Granato and interim assistant coach Matt Ellis unavailable in accordance with the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. Rochester head coach Seth Appert arrived in Pittsburgh for the second period.
Dustin Tokarski started in net for the second night in a row and stopped 27 shots. Tage Thompson missed his second straight game due to an illness and Rasmus Asplund as placed on injured reserve after sustaining an injury Wednesday night. The Sabres recalled forwards Steven Fogarty and C.J. Smith from the taxi squad. While forwards Jean-Sebastian Dea and Brett Murray were reassigned from the American to the taxi squad.
Making his NHL debut, Radim Zohorna opened the night with a one-timer off a pass from Angello, to make it 1-0 Pens in the first period. Buffalo showed up in what was their best power play chance since losing Captain Jack Eichel to injury in the first period with four shots within two minutes. They ended the first period with 15 shots on goal.
Dylan Cozens, back on right wing since Eichel has been out, hooked Sidney Crosby at the beginning of the second period, allowing the Penguins Jared McCann to score his sixth of the season with 42 seconds left on the power play. Buffalo continued their defense struggle and had a total of five shots on goal in the second period— it took more than 10 minutes in to get a shot on goal.
In the third period, Jared McCann notched his seventh of the season scoring another power play goal off the faceoff, just 7 second into it at 8:56. Cozens broke through the Penguins defense and scored with a less than six minutes left in the final period, but it was challenged by the Penguins and ruled offsides.
Dylan Cozens goes end-to-end and sets up Olofsson for a goal but it's ruled offside pic.twitter.com/l94M2AIO5H
— The Charging Buffalo (@TheChargingBUF) March 26, 2021
Even with a penalty served to Penguins Mike Matheson for slashing, the Sabres couldn’t produce a goal, going 0-4 on them man advantage for the night. The Penguins sealed a shutout with an empty net goal from Jake Guentzel with 1:06 left in the game. Crosby was credited with the assist on Guentzel’s goal, making him the eight-fasted player to record 1,300 career points.
1,300 career points for Sidney Crosby!
— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) March 26, 2021
With his assist on Jake Guentzel's goal, Crosby becomes the eighth-fastest player in NHL history to record 1,300 points (1,017 GP). pic.twitter.com/0BuGhwQxwY
Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith made 36 saves through the game, bringing his shutout streak to 179:52 vs Buffalo.
Following the game, when asked if another team voiced they were interest, and if he would listen, Taylor Hall answered “yeah, for sure.”
"Yeah, for sure."
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) March 26, 2021
– Taylor Hall, who has a no-move clause, on whether he'd be willing to listen to trade options if Sabres GM Kevyn Adams gets offers.
The Sabres will head to Boston to take on the Bruins Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.