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Jeff Carter’s OT winner lifts Penguins over Sabres

Dec 17, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) passes the puck against pressure from Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens (24) during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Carter’s goal at 2:53 of overtime Friday gave the Pittsburgh Penguins their season-high sixth straight win, 3-2 over the visiting Buffalo Sabres.

After the Sabres erased a two-goal deficit, Carter banged in a setup from Kris Letang on a two-on-one for the winner.

Evan Rodrigues and Brock McGinn also scored for the Penguins, who have given up eight goals during their six-game winning streak.

Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry made 19 saves to improve to 9-1-1 with 14 goals allowed in his past 11 starts.

Zemgus Girgensons and Rasmus Dahlin scored for the Sabres, who had won two straight.

Buffalo goaltender Malcolm Subban, playing in his first game since Dec. 4 when he got hurt in his Sabres’ debut, made 45 saves.

Pittsburgh was dominant in the first, including a 21-5 shot advantage.

Rodrigues set a career high with his 10th goal, in just 29 games, to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead on a power play at 5:53 of the first. From the upper part of the right circle, Rodrigues put the puck in off Subban’s arm on the far side.

At 13:17 of the first, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson and Pittsburgh’s Zach Aston-Reese fought after Aston-Reese hit Thompson.

Subban made a spectacular, contortionist-like, behind-the-back glove save on Rodrigues at 15:25 of the first.

The game’s second fight happened at 4:09 of the second, between Buffalo rookie Casey Fitzgerald and Pittsburgh’s Sam Lafferty.

McGinn picked up his third goal in four games to increase the Penguins’ lead to 2-0. At 6:45 of the second, he got to a rebound below the left hash marks and lifted the puck past Subban.

The Sabres cut it to 2-1 at 12:35 of the second when Girgensons caught Jarry leaning the wrong way and scored on a rebound of a Fitzgerald shot.

The assist was Fitzgerald’s first point in his first NHL game. His father, New Jersey general manager and former Pittsburgh assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald, was in the stands watching.

Dahlin tied it 2-2 at 14:42 of the third with a wrist shot from the inner edge of the left circle.

–Field Level Media

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