PIT 4–1 BUF

Final · W

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

Pittsburgh Penguins

PIT · 1-0-0

4–1

FinalW

Buffalo Sabres

BUF · 0-1-0

1ST2ND3RDT PIT 1721219428 BUF 0511306124 goals · shots on goal

First meeting this season — the Penguins lead the season series 1–0

PIT 1-0-0 · BUF 0-1-0 · First meeting this season — the Penguins lead the season series 1–0

Penguins beat the Sabres

The Penguins earned it: 2.5 expected goals to 1.3, and a 4–1 win to show for it. 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.

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

0

1

2

1st 0.5 · 0.2

2nd 1.3 · 0.7

3rd 0.7 · 0.4

Tap a numbered goal to see how it happened.

Deserve to winReplay this game 100 times with average goalies and the Penguins win 73.

PIT 73%BUF 27%

Goals and penalties

5 goals · 5 penalties

← Penguins shoot this way Sabres 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

1–0 ▶ 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%)

2–0 ▶ 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

2–1 ▶ Watch ↗

4

19:58

Avery Hayes

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

3–1 ▶ 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

4–1 ▶ 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

Sergei Murashov

PIT

+0.7

vs expected

13/13 saves · 0 GA · 0.7 xGA Stopped 0.7 more goals than an average goalie would have.

Joel Blomqvist

PIT

−0.1

vs expected

10/11 saves · 1 GA · 0.9 xGA Gave up about what the shots he faced would predict.

Team PITBUF

Shots on goal

28

24

Expected goals

2.5

1.3

Hits

26

16

Blocks

17

17

Faceoffs

54%

46%

Power play

1/2

1/3

Penalty minutes

6

4

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

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

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.