BUF 1–4 PIT

Final · L

Sabres/Schedule/Recap Mon, Sep 21, 2026 · 2026-27 preseason

Buffalo Sabres

BUF · 0-1-0

1–4

FinalL

Pittsburgh Penguins

PIT · 1-0-0

1ST2ND3RDT BUF 0511306124 PIT 1721219428 goals · shots on goal

First meeting this season — the Sabres trail the season series 0–1

BUF 0-1-0 · PIT 1-0-0 · First meeting this season — the Sabres trail the season series 0–1

Sabres fell to the Penguins

The Sabres were outchanced (2.5 to 1.3 expected goals) and lost 1–4. Alex Lyon allowed 2.0 more goals than expected from the shots he faced.

▶ Recap ↗ ▶ Condensed game ↗

Video opens on NHL.com.

★ NHL first starBryan Rust

PIT · RW · #17 1 G · 2 A · 3 P

Who had the better chances

The Penguins created the better chances: 2.5 expected goals to 1.3, on 28 and 24 shots on goal.

BUF 1.3 xG · 24 shots PIT 2.5 xG · 28 shots

0

1

2

1st 0.2 · 0.5

2nd 0.7 · 1.3

3rd 0.4 · 0.7

Tap a numbered goal to see how it happened.

Deserve to winReplay this game 100 times with average goalies and the Sabres win 27.

BUF 27%PIT 73%

Goals and penalties

5 goals · 5 penalties

← Sabres shoot this way Penguins shoot this way →

On net Missed Bigger = better chance 1Goal, numbered to the list

1st period

PEN

07:39

Ryan Graves· Interference

Killed

2 min
Minor

1

10:27

Connor Dewar

Bryan Rust, Andrei Kuzmenko · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (3%) that found a way in

0–1 ▶ Watch ↗

2nd period

PEN

10:30

Dennis Gilbert· Holding

Killed

2 min
Minor

PEN

11:58

Jack Rathbone· Tripping

Rust scored on this power play

2 min
Minor

2

12:16

Bryan Rust PPGWG

Hendrix Lapierre, Kris Letang · Power play (Rathbone, tripping) · wrist shot, a good chance (12%)

0–2 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

18:07

Tristan Broz· Holding

Richard scored on this power play

2 min
Minor

3

18:32

Jake Richard PP

, Zach Metsa · Power play (Broz, holding) · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (7%) that found a way in

1–2 ▶ Watch ↗

4

19:58

Avery Hayes

Unassisted · wrist shot, a good chance (13%)

1–3 ▶ Watch ↗

3rd period

PEN

00:36

Justin Brazeau· Tripping

Killed

2 min
Minor

5

18:13

Elmer Soderblom EN

Bryan Rust, Connor Dewar · wrist shot, into an empty net

1–4 ▶ Watch ↗

NHL three stars

the league's pick

PIT · RW · #17 1 G · 2 A · 3 P1G 2A ★ 2nd star

Avery Hayes

PIT · RW · #85 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A ★ 3rd star

Hendrix Lapierre

PIT · C · #22 0 G · 1 A · 1 P0G 1A

Goaltending

Alex Lyon

BUF

−2.0

vs expected

16/19 saves · 3 GA · 1.0 xGA Allowed 2.0 more goals than expected from the shots he faced.

Colten Ellis

BUF

+0.7

vs expected

8/8 saves · 0 GA · 0.7 xGA Stopped 0.7 more goals than an average goalie would have.

Team BUFPIT

Shots on goal

24

28

Expected goals

1.3

2.5

Hits

16

26

Blocks

17

17

Faceoffs

46%

54%

Power play

1/3

1/2

Penalty minutes

4

6

The Sabres went 1-for-3 on the power play and allowed 1 on 2 Penguins power plays.

Box score

xG and GSAx are Inside the Game numbers

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
20J.KulichJ.KulichC	0	0	0	−1	0	3	1	0	19:39	27	42%	0	0	0	0.1
13M. PecaM. PecaC	0	0	0	−2	0	1	0	0	18:01	19	47%	0	2	0	0.1
15J. DanforthJ. DanforthRW	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	17:32	22	40%	0	1	0	0.1
48T. KozakT. KozakC	0	0	0	−2	0	1	2	2	17:01	20	33%	0	2	0	0.0
77 . C	0	1	1	−1	0	2	0	1	16:57	20	—	0	1	0	0.2
70Jake RichardJ. RichardRW	1	0	1	−1	0	2	0	0	16:02	17	—	1	0	0	0.2
41J. PolinJ. PolinRW	0	0	0	−1	0	0	1	0	15:37	18	100%	0	0	0	0.1
28L. ValenteL. ValenteC	0	0	0	−1	0	3	0	0	14:54	16	—	0	2	1	0.1
52T. KuntarT. KuntarC	0	0	0	−1	0	3	4	0	14:52	18	—	0	1	0	0.1
45R. Fiddler-SchultzR. Fiddler-SchultzC	0	0	0	−1	0	1	0	2	14:19	17	62%	0	1	0	0.1
27A. McDonoughA. McDonoughLW	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11:51	18	—	0	0	0	0.1
43C. ShearyC. ShearyLW	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	05:35	8	—	0	0	0	0.0

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
73Zach MetsaZ. MetsaD	0	1	1	−1	0	0	0	2	21:55	23	—	0	1	0	0.0
57R. MrtkaR. MrtkaD	0	0	0	−2	0	2	0	1	20:28	22	—	0	1	1	0.1
44Dennis GilbertD. GilbertD	0	0	0	−1	2	0	2	0	20:02	22	—	0	1	0	0.0
33R. JohnsonR. JohnsonD	0	0	0	−1	0	2	0	1	18:42	22	—	0	1	1	0.0
76V. KomarovV. KomarovD	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	3	17:33	18	—	0	0	0	0.0
3Jack RathboneJ. RathboneD	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	3	16:22	18	—	0	3	1	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
34Alex LyonA. LyonG	16	19	3	.842	14/16	1/2	1/1	40:00		−2.0
92Colten EllisC. EllisG	8	8	0	1.000	8/8	0/0	0/0	18:52		+0.7

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
10Andrei KuzmenkoA. KuzmenkoLW	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	19:02	18	—	0	0	0	0.4
26Tristan BrozT. BrozC	0	0	0	+2	2	0	1	0	17:48	19	38%	0	0	0	0.2
17Bryan RustB. RustRW	1	2	3	+3	0	4	1	1	16:41	18	—	1	0	0	0.3
13D. GustafssonD. GustafssonC	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	16:36	19	38%	0	1	0	0.1
22Hendrix LapierreH. LapierreC	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	16:33	21	57%	0	0	0	0.2
25Elmer SoderblomE. SoderblomLW	1	0	1	+1	0	1	4	1	15:31	18	—	0	1	0	0.0
85Avery HayesA. HayesRW	1	0	1	+1	0	3	2	0	14:50	18	—	0	1	2	0.7
19Connor DewarC. DewarC	1	1	2	+2	0	1	1	0	14:41	20	67%	0	3	0	0.1
16Justin BrazeauJ. BrazeauRW	0	0	0	0	2	2	1	0	14:29	18	—	0	1	0	0.2
11F. HallanderF. HallanderC	0	0	0	0	0	5	2	0	14:14	21	—	0	0	0	0.0
40T. HoweT. HoweLW	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1	12:28	14	—	0	0	0	0.0
81B. KindelB. KindelC	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	06:13	6	86%	0	0	0	0.2

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
27Ryan GravesR. GravesD	0	0	0	+2	2	1	4	1	22:33	23	—	0	2	0	0.0
44C. PietilaC. PietilaD	0	0	0	+2	0	2	1	2	21:56	22	—	0	1	0	0.1
58Kris LetangK. LetangD	0	1	1	+1	0	0	1	2	20:49	23	—	0	2	0	0.0
38O. PickeringO. PickeringD	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	17:27	20	—	0	0	1	0.0
57T. van RiemsdykT. van RiemsdykD	0	0	0	+1	0	1	0	2	17:21	21	—	0	0	0	0.0
45H. BrunickeH. BrunickeD	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	16:30	20	—	0	1	1	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
1Sergei MurashovS. MurashovG	13	13	0	1.000	12/12	1/1	0/0	30:23		+0.7
30Joel BlomqvistJ. BlomqvistG	10	11	1	.909	6/6	3/4	1/1	29:30		−0.1

EV / PP / SH = saves on shots at even strength, on the opponent's power play, and shorthanded. GS = started. A dash means the stat isn't on file for that player or game. Showing the short set. Tap "All columns" to scroll through every stat inside this card.