Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic scored a late goal in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Nedeljkovic, who also had an assist, hit the target with a perfect clearance at 17:18. He had also scored once in the minor leagues, but this is the first time he has done it in the NHL.
The Penguins’ massive attack, for its part, marched at a breakneck pace with three goals and the Sabers paid the bill.
This contribution from special teams allowed the Penguins to end a series of three defeats. As for the Sabres, they had won three of their last four meetings before tonight.
Note that Quebec defender Kristopher Letang did not participate in the meeting. Penguins management clarified that the veteran of 1,127 games was ill.
Trailing by a goal after one period, the Penguins opened the machine with three goals in the middle period, the first two of which were scored in the space of 27 seconds. At 1:41, Rickard Rakell made a one-timer to tie the game. When play resumed, Anthony Beauvillier reached the tenth for the sixth time in his career when he managed to beat goalkeeper Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on a breakaway despite the fact that he had defender Henri Jokiharju on his back.
-Then mid-period, Cody Glass in turn found the back of the net on the power play after being well fed by Philip Tomasino from the corner of the ice. After 69 seconds in the third, Bryan Rust imitated him with an extra man to give the Penguins a three-goal lead, who were not worried afterward.
Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was involved in two Penguins goals.
The Sabers opened the scoring at 15:16 of the first period when Owen Power scored the first goal of his career on the power play with a wrist shot.
Trailing by three goals, Zach Benson allowed the Sabers to get within two goals when he completed a very nice play from Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
Alex Nedeljkovic signed the victory in front of the Penguins cage by blocking 40 shots. His opposite number Luukkonen was put to the test 18 times.
