The Buffalo Sabres once again avoided elimination tonight with a huge 3-2 shootout win on the road in MSG against the Rangers, staying alive in the Wild Card race in the East with some help from the Isles and Panthers.
The Sabres got on the board first with 5:36 left in the first period with JJ Peterka getting right in front on a good effort and putting the puck past Shesterkin to put Buffalo up 1-0. Really impressive period for the Sabres, outshooting the Rangers 14-5, and playing great in front of Levi to limit the scoring opportunities for the Rags.
The Rangers answered back to tie the game just 1:01 into the second period as Artemi Panarin beating the Sabres on a three on two rush on the power play. Panarin got his second of the game and second in a row to give the Rangers the lead with a one timer from Tarasenko that Levi didn’t have a chance on, with 8:48 left in the period as the Rags took their first lead of the game, making it 2-1 New York. The Rangers were the better team in that second period, but Devon Levi made some great saves to keep it a one goal game.
Casey Mittelstadt tied the game up at 2 with 11:47 left in regulation, tipping the puck in front past Igor. Avoid a Rangers fleury of shots with a great scoring chance to close out the third period, we took the game to overtime. Huge point with the Islanders and Panthers both losing, which extends our season to matter another game as we’re not officially eliminated yet. The third time in three games between these teams that we’ve gone to overtime.
Entertaining overtime stayed scoreless to take this game to a shootout.
Quinn went first and couldn’t score on Igor. Patrick Kane was first for the Rangers and Levi stuck with him the whole time to make the same. Then Tage went, another glove save for Shesterkin. Zibanejad tried to deke out Levi but ran out of room and lost control of the puck. Alex Tuch couldn’t score on his attempt. Panarin completely ran out of room to keep it scoreless with extra shooters going. Owen Power scored the first goal of the shootout with his first attempt of his career but Vlad Tarasenko beat Levi to keep the shootout going. Mittelstadt scored next and then with a Devon Levi save, the Sabres got the crucial second point for the win.
Final: Sabres 3, Rangers 2 (SO)
Onto Jersey tomorrow night. We keep our playoff hopes alive, gaining two points on the Islanders and a point on the Panthers. Solid win for the Sabres, outshooting the Rangers 38-28 and outplaying them by an expected goal rate of 3.79-2.75.
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