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Crosby ends drought in OT as Penguins edge Sabres

Dec 23, 2008 - 3:45 AM BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- Captain Sidney Crosby picked a good time to end his career-long goal-scoring slump. It didn't come without controversy.

Crosby deflected in the game-winner just 43 seconds into overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

"He sure did score a good one," Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien said of Crosby. "Those players are our game breakers, I thought he deserved that goal. We were managing the puck real well and we found a way to come back after trailing the second (period)."

Evgeni Malkin received a pass from Alex Goligoski and one-timed a fluttering shot that Crosby redirected past Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller.

The 21-year-old Crosby, who did not have a goal in the previous nine games, may have deflected the puck with his stick above the crossbar - which would have nullified the goal - but the play was reviewed and upheld.

"A little (doubt). I didn't see the replay but I thought my stick was on an angle down," Crosby said. "If it was up I would have been a little more worried but it was down. I didn't think I raised it quite above the cross bar."

"I didn't get a great look, I looked at the video board," Miller said. "I guess it's where the puck hit the shaft is really what it comes down to. From my gut feel, I thought it was a little high."

Malkin had three assists and defenseman Alex Goligoski netted a pair of goals for Pittsburgh, which had lost five of its previous seven games.

Pascal Dupuis also scored and Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves for the Penguins, who overcame a two-goal deficit to maintain sole possession of seventh place in Eastern Conference at 40 points.

Daniel Paille and Ales Kotalik each had a goal and an assist and Miller stopped 18 shots for the Sabres, who had posted a 5-2-1 record over their previous eight contests.

"I thought our guys did a great job against a pretty skilled team," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "I think we limited them to nine or ten shots the last 40 minutes and we had opportunities to put them away and we didn't."

Clarke MacArthur snapped a 2-2 tie with a power-play goal, giving Buffalo the edge with 4:02 left in the second period.

But Goligoski evened the contest with 8:43 remaining in the final session, netting his sixth goal of the season. It was the rookie's first multi-goal performance.

"It was as close to full 60 minutes as we've played in a while," Goligoski said. "It's a good road win against a good team, definitely good for the locker room after the last game."