Crosby leads Penguins to 5-1 win over Sabres


February 5, 2014 at 10:36p.m.

Crosby leads Penguins to 5-1 win over Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored a highlight-reel a goal and added assist, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in a pre-Olympic tuneup against goalie Ryan Miller on Wednesday night.

Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Brian Gibbons and minor-league call-up Harry Zolnierczyk also scored for Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24 shots and the Penguins (40-15-2) set a franchise record by reaching 40 wins in 57 games. That eclipsed the previous mark in 1995-96, when they hit 40 wins in 65 games.

Drew Stafford scored for the NHL’s worst team, and U.S. Olympic goalie Miller finished with 29 saves. Buffalo (15-33-8) dropped to 4-9-4 in its past 17 and winless in its last eight home games (0-5-3). That’s the Sabres’ worst home stretch since opening the season 0-8-1.