BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – Brandon Sutter scored twice and Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff-clinching 2-0 win over the last-place Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, the final day of the NHL regular season
The Penguins snapped a 0-4-1 skid to secure the Eastern Conference’s remaining wild-card spot, and eliminate the Boston Bruins in the process. Pittsburgh extended its playoff string to nine consecutive seasons – the NHL’s second-longest streak behind the Detroit Red Wings’ 24 – and avoided a near monumental late-season collapse.
The Penguins (43-27-12), who will face the New York Rangers in the first round, limped into the playoffs by going 4-9-2 over their final 15 games.
The Sabres (23-51-8) matched a franchise-low for losses for the second straight season. They were also shut out for the 14th time this year – four more than Buffalo’s previous single-season record.