PITTSBURGH -- With their former coach in the building, it seemed like old times for the Pittsburgh Penguins as big nights by star centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby carried them on a night they were outshot and outplayed.

Malkin scored a goal and set up another in the second period, Crosby assisted on two early goals and the Penguins welcomed back former coach Dan Bylsma by beating the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 Thursday night.

The Penguins' four goals were a season high -- they had only 16 in the first nine games -- as they won their third in a row and sixth in seven games despite being outshot 53-29.

Penguins backup goaltender Jeff Zatkoff, starting his first NHL game since April 13, 2014, gave up two quick goals in the second period but made 50 saves -- the NHL high for the season -- for his first win since March 22, 2014. Marc-Andre Fleury started Pittsburgh's first nine games in goal.

"He rewarded himself with a real good first outing, and gave us confidence in him," Penguins coach Mike Johnston said.

Bylsma, the Sabres' third coach in three seasons, led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup win during his first season in 2008-09 and had a team-record 252 wins in 5 1/2 seasons. He coached in Pittsburgh for the first time since the Penguins were eliminated by the New York Rangers in the 2013-14 Eastern Conference playoffs.

Bylsma clearly was moved by a first-period video-board tribute to him and the resulting standing ovation, saying, "It was obviously a nice welcome and nice applause. I was thankful."

Malkin's domination late in the second period gave Pittsburgh a two-goal lead, but Sabres left wing Matt Moulson scored with 2:26 remaining on Buffalo's 49th shot, for his fourth of the season. Buffalo skated 6-on-4 on a power play for the final 1:51 but couldn't tie it, even after outshooting Pittsburgh 24-4 in the period.

Pittsburgh's best save might have been made by right wing Phil Kessel as he swiped away Buffalo left winger Jamie McGinn's shot that was about a quarter inch away from trickling over the goal line.

"I'll take that bounce, we needed a bounce like that and we'll take it," Zatkoff said.

McGinn knew he couldn't have been any closer to a goal that might have swung the momentum.

"We created a lot of chances, put a lot of rubber at them, and it's unfortunate we didn't come out with a win or even one point," McGinn said. "Pretty disappointing."

The Penguins, who won their seventh in a row against Buffalo, needed only 56 seconds to take the early lead on left winger Pascal Dupuis' first goal since he scored twice against Toronto last Nov. 14

Sabres goalie Chris Johnson, a 2006 Pittsburgh draft pick, fell behind 2-0 when right winger Patric Hornqvist -- recently promoted to Crosby's top line -- scored his first of the season after Crosby outfought two Sabres for the puck along the boards and fed him in the slot.

Crosby assisted on the two goals, only his fourth and fifth points of the season, with Bylsma saying, "We were a little overwhelmed the first 10 minutes."

Buffalo, coming off a 4-3 win at Philadelphia on Tuesday, came back to tie it later in the first on goals 2:15 apart against Zatkoff.

Still, Sabres left wing Nicolas Deslauriers said, "The bounces were not on our side -- we put a lot of shots on them and he did a great job."

McGinn, denied later, did score his second of the season by deflecting defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen's wrist shot from the blue line at 14:25. Ristolainen also assisted on left winger Nicolas Deslauriers' second goal of the season at 16:40, a goal created by center Ryan O'Reilly's alert pass from behind the net.

But Pittsburgh grabbed back the lead in the second as Malkin set up one goal and scored another.

Seconds after coming out of the penalty box, Ben Lovejoy put in his own rebound after Malkin hit him with a give-back pass as the defenseman skated down the slot. Malkin then scored only the third power-play goal all season by Pittsburgh, whiffing on his initial shot only to kick the puck to his stick with his right skate and put it inside the near post at 14:57.

NOTES: The Penguins skipped the morning skate after winning 3-1 in Washington on Wednesday night, but the Sabres worked out before a full house of media to talk mostly to Dan Bylsma, the former Pittsburgh coach. His 252 victories in five-plus seasons are the most in Penguins history. ... Buffalo scratched D Carlo Colaiacovo and C Tyler Ennis ... Sabres D Mike Weber returned after sitting out the previous two games. ... Sabres D Zach Bogosian (lower body) skated before practice but is not ready to return. ... The Penguins wore their alternate third jersey for the first time. They also played their first back-to-back of the season. ... The Penguins play their next four on the road before returning to Consol Energy Center on Nov. 11 to face Montreal. ... Pittsburgh held out D Adam Clendening and LW Sergei Plotnikov. ... Penguins 18-year-old RW Daniel Sprong will play past the nine-game deadline for his entry-level contract to begin.