There’s huge expectations on my Buffalo Sabres this season. Last year the youngest team in the NHL shocked us, staying alive till the last week of the season until getting eliminated. That team gave us a ton of fun throughout the season and a lot of hope for the future with this young core. The goal this year is playoffs or bust and I think we do it.
Before the game even started, I teared up a bit at the Rick Jeanneret tribute before the game that was shown both in the arena and on TV. RJ was the voice of this city my entire life and his iconic calls will echo in history for this franchise forever. Thank you RJ. We love you, forever. Thank you for all the incredible memories and being the soundtrack to my entire childhood. I’ll always be grateful to be able to hear your call narrate my favorite team in all of sports as I grew up with those beautiful playoff runs in 06 and 07. Thank you.
The Rangers opened the game with some good chance, Devon Levi made a good save but Alex Lafreniere got left alone in front of the empty net and put the rebound past Levi to make it 1-0 Rangers just 3:47 into the game. With rookie Zach Benson in the box for a hooking call, Chris Kreider redirected an Adam Fox shot, taking a 2-0 lead with 7:39 left in the first period. Not the best start for the boys. Despite going down 2-0 in the first period, I thought we played decent hockey as the period progressed, looking pretty good in the last five minutes or so of it. We got outshot 12-7, but it wasn’t horrible.
Artemi Panarin opened the scoring in the second period, making the score 3-0 Rangers 12:49 into the second period. With 1:30 left in the second period, JJ Peterka got the Sabres their first goal of the season on a nice shot directly off the pass from Owen Power, making it a 3-1 game. Not a great period offensively for us, generating only five shots on goal but we limited the Rags to only eight. Thought the first 40 minutes of this game, we only have 27 shot attempts, which is kind of pathetic.
After a bunch of really good chances for the Sabres on the power play, with 8:26 left in the game, Chris Kreider got his second goal of the game, shorthanded to make it 4-1 New York. Trouba scorer scored on the empty net with 1:29 left to close out the game.
Sabres lost 5-1. Not great. Not what we wanted to start the season.
FINAL: Sabres 1, Rangers 5
Pretty embarrassing loss. Not a good game. I thought we didn’t look like a threat whatsoever besides the last five minutes of the first period. Through the game we got outshot 30-24, got out chanced 21-13, and got outplayed by an expected goal rate of 4.73-2.2.
Let’s bounce back on Saturday on the road with a big game on Long Island against the Isles.
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