The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the Olympic break on a high note.
Pittsburgh defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on the road on Thursday, in a game that was led by rookie Avery Hayes. Hayes was recalled from the AHL earlier in the day due to Noel Acciari dealing with an illness.
The 23-year-old undrafted forward made good in his NHL debut as he scored twice, both in the first period, to help Pittsburgh get a big road win.
“Right now, I can’t really put it into words,” Hayes said postgame on Thursday. “I’m just excited to see my family after they were able to make the trip. So, I have no words right now, but it was a ton of fun.”
Hayes, meanwhile, had a hectic travel day and wasn’t even sure he would make his NHL debut. But the forward was thrilled he was able to check off his dream of playing in the NHL.
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“I knew I was coming at noon, but I didn’t know I was for sure playing until (about 3 o’clock), so I didn’t have much time to think about the game,” said Hayes, who had to drive four hours to Buffalo. “But it was a ton a fun and it was a great feeling.”
It was also a big win for the Penguins to continue their hot stretch and enter the Olympic break on a high note.
“We talked this morning about how there’s been a lot of good since our last break,” head coach Dan Muse said. “I think we deserved to feel good going into the (Olympic) break. We had to go in there today and earn that, and we did just that.”
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With the win, the Penguins improved to 29-15-12 and enter the break being 7-1-2 in their last 10 games.
Pittsburgh’s next NHL game will take place at home on Feb. 26 against the New Jersey Devils.
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