Jake Richard scored in his preseason debut for the Buffalo Sabres, who fell 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.
Buffalo iced a lineup consisting mostly of prospects and depth players for the game, its first of the preseason. The lineup was headlined by forward Jiri Kulich, playing for the first time since Nov. 1 of last year, and goaltenders Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis.
Kulich, who missed most of last season due to a blood clot, skated 19:39 and had three shots. Veteran forward Justin Danforth also played after missing all but four games last season with a broken kneecap; he skated 17:32 with two shots and two hits.
Lyon played the first two periods in goal and stopped 16 of 19 shots faced. Ellis played the third period and went eight-for-eight on save attempts.
Richard, a sixth-round draft pick in 2022, was playing his first professional exhibition game. He scored from the top of the left circle during a second-period power play, showcasing the shot that made him a standout at annual summer development camps in Buffalo.
Pittsburgh’s lineup featured a mix of NHL regulars and depth players, headlined by forward Bryan Rust and defenseman Kris Letang. Rust led the Penguins with a goal and two assists.
