Kulich scores 2 in Sabres 7-3 win over Penguins. Crosby breaks Gretzky's point-per-game seasons mark

Kulich scores 2 in Sabres 7-3 win over Penguins. Crosby breaks Gretzky’s point-per-game seasons mark

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Buffalo Sabres goaltender James Reimer (47) celebrates a victory with center Tage Thompson (72) and left wing Jason Zucker (17) after an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

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Pittsburgh Penguins’ Rickard Rakell (67) celebrates with Sidney Crosby after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich, front, celebrates after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

By JOHN WAWROW

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jiri Kulich scored twice as part of a five-goal second period, and the Buffalo Sabres routed Pittsburgh 7-3 on Thursday night in an outing Penguins captain Sidney Crosby broke an NHL record for point-per-game consistency he shared with Wayne Gretzky.

Buffalo won its fourth-straight home game with Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, Tyson Kozak each securing a goal and assist. Mattias Samuelsson also scored, and backup James Reimer made 22 saves in winning his third consecutive start.

Crosby’s goal 8:49 in to cut Buffalo’s lead to 2-1 was his 80th point, to assure he’ll finish his 20th NHL season averaging at least a point per outing. The 37-year-old surpassed Gretzky, who finished all but his 20th and final NHL season in 1998-99 averaging a point a game.

Kevin Hayes and Blake Lizotte also scored for Pittsburgh, which dropped to 1-3-1 in its past five.

Tristan Jarry was pulled after allowing four goals on 12 shots, and two days after allowing four goals on seven shots in a 6-1 loss at Tampa Bay. Alex Nedeljkovic mopped up, allowing three goals on 18 shots.

Takeaways

Penguins: Continue unraveling on a night they entered having allowed an NHL-worst 261 goals.

Sabres: Erupted for seven goals despite a youth-laden lineup missing key veteran forwards Jason Zucker (personal issue), Joshua Norris (middle body) and Jordan Greenway (lower body).

Not PARSE.LY: Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod (71) scores a goal past Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Thompson, Tuch help Sabres outlast Ovechkin, Capitals with 8-5 win

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after his goal with his son Sergei during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Alex Ovechkin scores his 890th career goal to move 5 goals away from breaking Gretzky’s NHL record

Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson (33) readies during a face-off of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Matvei Michkov has 2nd straight 2-goal outing to lead the Flyers past the Sabres 7-4

Key moment

A 1:44 second-period span in which Kulich and Samuelsson put Buffalo up 4-1. Kulich scored with a 20-footer over the goalie’s right shoulder, and Samuelsson’s shot from the right boards beat Jarry on the short side 5:20 into the period.

Key stat

The Sabres had 14 players register at least a point, including rookie Isak Rosen’s first NHL point with an assist on Samuelsson’s goal.

Up next

Penguins host Ottawa on Sunday, and Sabres open three-game road swing at Philadelphia on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl