BUFFALO, N.Y. — There are only two tune-up games left for the Buffalo Sabres after they played their fourth of six preseason games Saturday afternoon, hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins and winning 3-1.
There was no Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang making the three and a half hour drive up to Buffalo. Former Sabre Drake Caggiula was on the top line for the Penguins on Saturday, but they did start their top goalie Tristan Jarry.
The Sabres had several of their sure-fire roster guys in the mix on Saturday.
Tage Thompson centered the top line between Jack Quinn and Victor Olofsson, and the first goal of the game was on the classic Olosson one-timer immediately after a power play for a 1-0 lead in the second period.
Thompson scored in the second period, as well, to extend that lead to 2-0.
It ended up being a top-line hat trick for the Sabres when Quinn finished things off with an empty netter for the 3-1 win. With two goals in three preseason matchups, he is making a case to be a part of the NHL roster.
"As Rochester opens up their camp and we have to start paring down, I can tell you that the guys that we have signed and brought into this camp, it's all about winning at this level," Sabres coach Don Granato said after the game.
"All of the guys who we've seen through camp, at some point or another through their career, are going to have a chance to help us win games."
Ukko-Pekka Luukonen got the start in net for the Sabres and pitched a shutout until late in the third, when Caggiula finally broke through. Luukkonen made 32 saves.
The Sabres have two more preseason games, hosting Carolina on Tuesday and in Pittsburgh that Friday.
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