Crosby lifts Penguins past Sabres in OT, reaches 1,600 points

PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby scored 1:38 into overtime and had two assists to pass 1,600 NHL points, and Evgeni Malkin scored his 500th NHL goal and had three assists in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 6-5 win against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday.

Crosby one-timed a pass from Erik Karlsson at the right post on the power play to win it with his first goal of the season. Malkin had the secondary assist.

“I remember watching ‘Geno’ play and, obviously, he came over in my second year (2006-07),” said Crosby, the Pittsburgh captain, “but just waiting patiently for him to come over and hoping that it was sooner than later. Just having the opportunity to watch him prior to that, knowing how good he was, obviously you don’t ever know but he just seemed special right from the start.

“That’s what I was hoping it would work out as. And it has. I’m super grateful for it. I think whether it’s moments like tonight or things we’ve shared, good and bad, it’s been pretty incredible to be part of the team and play with him over this amount of time.”

Malkin became the 48th player in NHL history with 500 goals, and Crosby is the 10th with 1,600 points. Crosby has 1,602 points (593 goals, 1,009 assists) in 1,277 games.

“It’s not easy. It’s a long way to, like, score 500,” said Malkin, who hit the mark in his 1,150th game. “I’m glad to do it tonight. And, like, finally. Now, I’m more relaxed. First time I want to say, probably, about myself, I’m proud of myself.”

Joel Blomqvist made 26 saves in relief after Tristan Jarry allowed three goals on five shots for the Penguins (3-2-0).

JJ Peterka scored twice in his return from missing two games with a concussion, and Alex Tuch, Bowen Byram and Jason Zucker each had two assists for the Sabres (1-3-1). Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 37 saves.

“I think we felt the pressure,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “We didn’t handle it very well.”

Malkin put Pittsburgh ahead 4-3 at 3:26 of the third period, taking Crosby’s backhand pass from behind the net and scoring with a wrist shot while on his back.

The 38-year-old leads the NHL with 11 points (two goals, nine assists). Malkin last led the League outright in points on April 7, 2012, when he won the Art Ross Trophy with an NHL-high 109 points (50 goals, 59 assists).

Malkin had the lone assist when Crosby scored his 500th on Feb. 15, 2022.

“I wanted to [assist on Malkin’s 500th]," Crosby said. "Going into it, the last few games here, I wanted to find a way."

After Malkin’s goal, Peterka and Ryan McLeod scored 40 seconds apart for Buffalo. Peterka tied it 4-4 at 10:16 on a wrist shot for his second goal of the game, and McLeod then sent a wrist shot through traffic from atop the left face-off circle for a 5-4 lead at 10:56.

Rickard Rakell tied it 5-5 on a backhand with 46 seconds remaining after Malkin’s one-timer got through Luukkonen.

Tage Thompson gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead 43 seconds into the first period, tipping the puck away from Jarry behind the net and beating him to the crease for a backhanded wraparound at the right post.

Jordan Greenway made it 2-0 at 3:08 on a wrist shot that clipped the bottom of Jarry’s glove.

Bryan Rust cut it to 2-1 on the power play at 11:01, collecting a rebound from Malkin for a tap-in at the left post. Crosby had the secondary assist for his 1,600th point.

Peterka extended the lead to 3-1 at 11:33 with a snap shot set up by Byram.

“I was just super excited to get back in the lineup, obviously,” Peterka said. “With concussions, it’s always good to maybe get the extra days. ... So obviously, on one hand, it was frustrating. But on the other hand, I knew that the season is long and I’d rather miss one or two more games here than half a season.”

Blomqvist replaced Jarry, who has allowed 12 goals on 72 shots (.833 save percentage) this season, following the goal.

“I think [Blomqvist] played a huge role,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought he made some huge saves when he came in. We didn’t play the tightest game out there. It wasn’t the cleanest game from our standpoint. He made some big saves.”

Drew O'Connor cut it to 3-2 with a short-handed goal at 9:12 of the second period with a wrist shot on a 2-on-1. The goal was upheld after Buffalo challenged for offside.

Jesse Puljujarvi tied it 3-3 at 15:20 on a backhand from the slot.

NOTES: Crosby is the fifth-fastest player to 1,600 NHL points, behind Wayne Gretzky (667 games), Mario Lemieux (812), Marcel Dionne (1,164) and Jaromir Jagr (1,274). He is the first to get to the milestone since Jagr on Oct. 6, 2011. ... Crosby’s goal was his 91st game-winner, tying Gretzky and Mark Recchi for 21st in NHL history. … Malkin’s 11 points this season have come in a four-game multipoint streak. … The Sabres were 0-for-1 on the power play and are 0-for-15 this season.