In Buffalo, the Sabres continue their improved play on Sunday with a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. 
Sam Reinhart struck for two goals in the win.
Dustin Tokarski made 34 saves in the victory.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to go out there and compete,” Tokarski said. “I love going out there, battling. If there’s some fatigue, you’ve just got to put it behind you because everyone’s tired. The players are playing a ton of games, too, so there’s no excuses. Just got to go out there and play. The guys played awesome tonight.”
The Pens’ five-game point streak came to an end in the loss.
“I mentioned in the locker room after the second that … it looked like we were pressuring and we had kind of worn on them a little bit,” Sabres head coach Don Granato said. “They looked a little more tired than we did just in a quick review, and I mentioned that to our guys, the job they were doing to wear [them down].
“A little messy with the puck yesterday and then we had to expend a lot of extra energy as a result. Our guys cleaned that up today and didn’t have to expend that energy and they found more through the game, so it was real nice to see that and the reward that followed for them.
The Sabres took the lead when Arttu Ruotsalainen scored with just 26 seconds gone in the opening frame.
Reinhart added his two goals to the count for a 3-0 lead.
“[Pittsburgh] came out really hot. Those guys did a good job of weathering it and got a play,” Reinhart said. “Obviously could have gone two different ways and those guys that started did a good job to get us off on the right foot.
The Pens tried to rally back with goals; Jason Zucker and Teddy Blueger were the Pittsburgh strikers.
“I didn’t think we were very good tonight,” Zucker said. “We didn’t carry the play. I thought we had some good chances. But I don’t think it was anything but work ethic. We weren’t executing, and I think we could’ve been a little bit harder on our D-zone, end some plays earlier and transition out of our zone. But you’ve got to give them credit. They played well. They outplayed us tonight.”
Rasmus Asplund added an empty-netter late in the third period to cie the win.
Casey DeSmith made 25 saves in the loss.
“Maybe a little cause for concern in the sense that this time of year, we can’t afford to come out flat like that,” Blueger said. “I felt we were second to loose pucks, losing a lot of puck battles. I think that kind of cost us. I think in the sense that this time of year with about 10 games left and the playoff race the way it is, I think we’ve got to come out with more energy.”
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