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Crosby, Penguins extend streaks in win over Sabres

Dec 12, 2010 - 4:37 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Sidney Crosby extended his point streak to 18 games and the Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena.

Crosby had just one assist in the game, and now has 20 goals and 16 assists during his run, while the Penguins are now five games shy of their NHL-record winning streak set near the end of the 1992-93 season.

"I try not to think about it a whole lot," said Crosby. "I was just trying to make sure that we created something. It was difficult out there tonight so I was just trying to make sure we took advantage of the chances we had."

Dustin Jeffrey had a goal and an assist while Alex Goligoski, Michael Rupp, Matt Cooke and Arron Asham all lit the lamp for the Penguins, who have won seven straight on the road. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 34 shots in the win.

Jason Pominville and Tyler Ennis each had a goal for the Sabres, who had won three of four. Ryan Miller was tagged for four goals on 23 shots.

"We lost, we weren't good enough out there," said Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff. "We had some costly turnovers out there. We created turnovers that we didn't finish. Give them credit, they took advantage of their turnovers. We weren't good enough."

The Pens got on the board at the 6:43 mark of the first period, when Ben Lovejoy threw the puck on net from the deep right boards and Jeffrey chipped it in.

Just under three minutes later, Asham's one-time blast from the right circle sailed past Miller.

Buffalo got one back on the power play later in the first. Ennis skated down low and attempted to pass the puck to the front, but it bounced off of Fleury's pad, and Ennis chipped it under the crossbar with 4:11 left.

The second period was scoreless, but Pittsburgh made it a 3-1 game at the 12:09 mark of the third. Crosby passed from the right side to the left, where Pascal Dupuis gained control. Dupuis then threw the puck to the front, where it hit off Goligoski and went into the net.

Buffalo got the goal back 51 seconds later after Pominville blasted a shot from the left point. He chipped his own rebound past Fleury, who didn't know where the puck went after the initial stop, for his fourth goal of the season.

Pittsburgh, though, got its two-goal lead back with 3:17 to play, when Jeffrey sent the puck from the right boards to the front of the net, where Rupp jammed it in on his second attempt.

Buffalo got Miller to the bench for the extra attacker, but Cooke sealed the win with an empty-netter.

Game Notes

The Penguins play in Philadelphia on Tuesday...The Sabres have off until Wednesday, when they host Boston...Pittsburgh has taken both games against Buffalo this year and six of seven overall...Crosby is one game shy of the longest point streak of his career...Buffalo was 1-for-5 on the power play while Pittsburgh went 0-for-4.