PIT 3–1 BUF

Final · W

Penguins/Schedule/Recap Sat, Sep 26, 2026 · 2026-27 preseason

Pittsburgh Penguins

PIT · 2-2-0

3–1

FinalW

Buffalo Sabres

BUF · 1-2-1

1ST2ND3RDT PIT 290718324 BUF 0110914124 goals · shots on goal

Meeting 2 this season — the Penguins lead the season series 2–0

PIT 2-2-0 · BUF 1-2-1 · Meeting 2 this season — the Penguins lead the season series 2–0

Penguins beat the Sabres

Chances were even (2.1 to 2.0 expected goals); the Penguins won 3–1. Arturs Silovs stopped 2.0 more goals than an average goalie would have.

▶ Recap ↗ ▶ Condensed game ↗

Video opens on NHL.com.

★ NHL first starRyan McLeod

BUF · C · #71 1 G · 0 A · 1 P

Who had the better chances

Chances were close: 2.1 expected goals to 2.0, on 24 and 24 shots on goal.

PIT 2.1 xG · 24 shots BUF 2.0 xG · 24 shots

0

1

2

1st 0.7 · 1.0

2nd 0.7 · 0.8

3rd 0.7 · 0.3

Tap a numbered goal to see how it happened.

Deserve to winReplay this game 100 times with average goalies and the Penguins win 52.

PIT 52%BUF 48%

Goals and penalties

4 goals · 4 penalties

← Penguins shoot this way Sabres shoot this way →

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

1st period

PEN

06:25

Egor Chinakhov· Hooking

Killed

2 min
Minor

1

09:00

Sidney Crosby

Tommy Novak, Declan Carlile · wrist shot, a good chance (11%)

1–0 ▶ Watch ↗

2

10:56

Ville Koivunen GWG

Hendrix Lapierre, Bryan Rust · backhand shot, a good chance (11%)

2–0 ▶ Watch ↗

PEN

11:26

Josh Norris· Interference

Killed

2 min
Minor

2nd period

PEN

00:26

Rickard Rakell· Hooking

Killed

2 min
Minor

3rd period

PEN

09:39

Evgeni Malkin· Hooking

McLeod scored on this power play

2 min
Minor

3

11:30

Ryan McLeod PP

Owen Power, Noah Ostlund · Power play (Malkin, hooking) · wrist shot, a low-percentage shot (5%) that found a way in

2–1 ▶ Watch ↗

4

18:55

Nick Robertson EN

Rickard Rakell, Trevor van Riemsdyk · backhand shot, into an empty net

3–1 ▶ Watch ↗

NHL three stars

the league's pick

Ryan McLeod

BUF · C · #71 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A ★ 2nd star

Sidney Crosby

PIT · C · #87 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A ★ 3rd star

Ville Koivunen

PIT · RW · #41 1 G · 0 A · 1 P1G 0A

Goaltending

Arturs Silovs

PIT

+2.0

vs expected

23/24 saves · 1 GA · 3.0 xGA Stopped 2.0 more goals than an average goalie would have.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

BUF

−0.4

vs expected

15/17 saves · 2 GA · 1.6 xGA Gave up about what the shots he faced would predict.

Team PITBUF

Shots on goal

24

24

Expected goals

2.1

2.0

Hits

18

24

Blocks

11

18

Faceoffs

34%

66%

Power play

0/1

1/3

Penalty minutes

6

2

The Penguins went 0-for-1 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
22Hendrix LapierreH. LapierreC	0	1	1	+1	0	3	0	2	18:48	21	11%	0	0	0	0.1
71Evgeni MalkinE. MalkinC	0	0	0	+1	2	2	1	1	17:45	19	—	0	4	2	0.4
59Egor ChinakhovE. ChinakhovRW	0	0	0	0	2	4	1	0	16:42	21	—	0	0	0	0.1
18Tommy NovakT. NovakC	0	1	1	+1	0	0	0	0	16:29	21	40%	0	2	0	0.0
87Sidney CrosbyS. CrosbyC	1	0	1	+2	0	2	0	0	16:03	21	47%	0	2	0	0.5
41Ville KoivunenV. KoivunenRW	1	0	1	+1	0	3	0	1	15:38	17	100%	0	1	0	0.5
14Nick RobertsonN. RobertsonLW	1	0	1	+1	0	1	0	3	15:34	21	—	0	2	2	0.0
67Rickard RakellR. RakellRW	0	1	1	+1	2	2	1	0	14:59	22	—	0	0	0	0.1
11F. HallanderF. HallanderC	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	14:17	17	—	0	0	0	0.0
2R. McGroartyR. McGroartyRW	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	0	11:20	14	100%	0	0	0	0.2
26T. BrozT. BrozC	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	10:07	13	38%	0	0	0	0.0
17Bryan RustB. RustRW	0	1	1	+1	0	1	0	3	08:04	9	50%	0	0	0	0.0

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
72Declan CarlileD. CarlileD	0	1	1	+2	0	1	3	1	22:24	24	—	0	1	0	0.1
6K. KorczakK. KorczakD	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	20:45	21	—	0	4	0	0.0
49S. GirardS. GirardD	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	20:44	21	—	0	0	0	0.0
65E. KarlssonE. KarlssonD	0	0	0	+2	0	0	1	0	18:46	22	—	0	2	0	0.0
57Trevor van RiemsdykT. van RiemsdykD	0	1	1	+1	0	1	1	1	18:44	22	—	0	1	1	0.0
58K. LetangK. LetangD	0	0	0	+1	0	0	2	0	17:05	18	—	0	1	0	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
37Arturs SilovsA. SilovsG	23	24	1	.958	20/20	3/4	0/0	59:55		+2.0

Forwards	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
72T. ThompsonT. ThompsonC	0	0	0	−1	0	1	0	0	19:23	21	73%	0	2	1	0.1
6Z. BensonZ. BensonLW	0	0	0	−2	0	0	5	0	17:43	21	—	0	2	0	0.0
91J. DoanJ. DoanRW	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	17:00	20	—	0	1	0	0.0
22J. QuinnJ. QuinnRW	0	0	0	−2	0	3	1	0	16:57	20	—	0	0	0	0.0
71Ryan McLeodR. McLeodC	1	0	1	−1	0	2	0	1	16:18	21	63%	1	2	0	0.1
86Noah OstlundN. OstlundC	0	1	1	−1	0	0	1	0	16:10	21	50%	0	0	0	0.0
19P. KrebsP. KrebsC	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	0	15:57	19	50%	0	0	1	0.3
9Josh NorrisJ. NorrisC	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	14:38	20	100%	0	0	0	0.2
94K. HeleniusK. HeleniusC	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	1	14:34	20	—	0	1	0	0.3
10S. CarrickS. CarrickC	0	0	0	−1	0	1	1	0	13:07	20	56%	0	0	0	0.0
29B. MalenstynB. MalenstynLW	0	0	0	−1	0	0	2	0	12:08	19	—	0	0	0	0.0
48T. KozakT. KozakC	0	0	0	−1	0	0	1	1	10:39	17	—	0	1	0	0.0

Defense	G	A	P	+/−	PIM	S	Hits	Blk	TOI	Shifts	FO%	PPG	GV	TK	xG
26R. DahlinR. DahlinD	0	0	0	−1	0	1	0	1	24:44	26	—	0	1	0	0.4
25Owen PowerO. PowerD	0	1	1	−1	0	1	1	0	22:11	25	—	0	1	0	0.1
46L. CrevierL. CrevierD	0	0	0	0	0	4	4	1	16:54	22	—	0	3	0	0.5
24M. GrzelcykM. GrzelcykD	0	0	0	−2	0	1	2	2	16:48	21	—	0	1	0	0.0
73Z. MetsaZ. MetsaD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	16:48	20	—	0	2	0	0.0
21C. TimminsC. TimminsD	0	0	0	−2	0	3	1	1	16:37	21	—	0	1	0	0.0

Goalies	Saves	SA	GA	Sv%	EV	PP	SH	TOI	GS	GSAx
1Ukko-Pekka LuukkonenU. LuukkonenG	15	17	2	.882	14/16	1/1	0/0	43:47		−0.4
92Colten EllisC. EllisG	6	6	0	1.000	6/6	0/0	0/0	15:37		+0.5

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.