Sabres 4, Penguins 2
PITTSBURGH -- The Buffalo Sabres won't have much to show for the 2012-13 season. They are eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoff chase and have clinched last place in the Northeast Division, but they can at least say they were Kryptonite to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Steve Ott scored a disputed goal with 2:34 left Tuesday night to break a tie and lift the Sabres to a 4-2 victory over the Penguins at the Consol Energy Center.
Buffalo (20-21-6) put an end to the Penguins' seven-game winning streak. The Sabres also snapped the Penguins' 15-game winning streak, which was one short of the NHL record, on their last visit to Pittsburgh, April 2.
Tomas Vanek added an empty-netter for the Sabres, his second goal of the game, with 27 seconds remaining. It was Vanek's 20th goal of the season.
Ott tipped in a Mark Pysyk shot for the game-winning goal, his ninth goal this season. Ott's stick appeared to be over his shoulder when he scored. However, the officials upheld the goal after a video.
With 2:16 left in the second period, Ott was sent off for a 10-minute misconduct.
Jochen Hecht also scored for the Sabres. Pysyk, Cody Hodgson and Drew Stafford had two assists each.
Chris Kunitz and Jarome Iginla scored Pittsburgh's goals.
Ryan Miller stopped 40 shots on goal for the win. Despite making 29 saves, Marc-Andre Fleury lost for the just the second time in his past 13 decisions.
Iginla tied it for the Penguins at 2-2 with a power play at 11:02 of the third period, his 14th goal. Iginla scored high to the glove side as Miller was screened by Brenden Morrow.
Iginla has scored a goal in four straight games and has five goals and four assists in his past 11 games.
Buffalo had gone ahead at 6:11 of the third on Hecht's slap shot from the slot, his fifth goal.
Vanek opened the scoring when he blasted a slap shot from the point past Fleury at 12:49 of the first period.
Twenty seconds later, Kunitz answered with his 22st, his snap shot hitting off Miller's glove and going into the net.
Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik was forced from the game in the third period with what was described by the Penguins as a lower-body injury.
NOTES: Penguins defenseman Kris Letang returned to action after missing Monday's win at Ottawa because of food poisoning. ... Pittsburgh defenseman Paul Martin staked with his teammates during the optional morning skate for the first time since suffering a broken hand on March 28 and undergoing surgery. ... Penguins left wing James Neal (concussions) is expected to skate with the team later this week for the first since being injured April 5. ... Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby (broken jaw) missed his 10th straight game and there remains no timetable for his return. ... Buffalo defenseman Chad Ruhwedel returned to Pittsburgh less than two weeks after playing in the NCAA Frozen Four with UMass-Lowell, which lost to eventual champion Yale in the semifinals. ...The Sabres are guaranteed to finish last in the Northeast Division for the first time since 2003-04. ... Healthy scratches for Pittsburgh were left winger Steve MacIntyre, center Joe Vitale, defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Simon Despres and goaltender Eric Hartzell. ... Left wing Ville Leino (upper body), right wing Patrick Kaleta (hand) and defenseman Tyler Myers (leg) were scratches for the Sabres.
