Buffalo Sabres Look To Keep Good Times Rolling Against Rangers
By Roger Walsh
Buffalo Sabres Sunday night hockey used to be a common occurrence in Western New York back in the days when they played at Memorial Auditorium. Bills fans everywhere would welcome the NHL scheduling the Sabres every Sunday considering how the football team has played over the past…well…too many years I care to count.
Buffalo Sabres fans get their wish tonight as the Sabres (7-5-2) play the second of seven Sunday night tilts as they fly cross state to face the New York Rangers (5-7-1) at 7pm in Madison Square Garden.
It is the second meeting between the two clubs this season. Buffalo won 3-1 on October 6th thanks to two goals by Conor Sheary and 43 saves by Carter Hutton.
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The Sabres landed on the tarmac in NY coming off a complete game 9-2 destruction of the Ottawa Senators yesterday afternoon in Buffalo. The ESP line of Jack Eichel–Jeff Skinner–Jason Pominville continued their torrid pace with 4 goals and 5 assists in the blow out. They are the top three scorers in the NHL since Head Coach Phil Housley put the line together and have combined for 38 points since the line was created.
Sabres stand out rookie Defenseman Ramsmus Dahlin left yesterday’s game in the 2nd period with a foot injury after blocking a Matt Duchene shot. Dahlin did make the trip but is not certain play tonight.
The Rangers are coming off a 2-2 Western road trip which saw them lose the first two then bounce back and win the last two games. New Head Coach David Quinn is part of a new trend in the NHL of reaching into the US college ranks for the head man as Quinn built an outstanding reputation at Boston University.
One line that definitely will be together tonight is the combination of Jimmy Vesey–Brett Howden–Jesper Fast. The line created multiple high quality chances on the road trip culminating one of the top three goals of the year with a one touch cross ice pass from Vesey to Howden in Anaheim. Only 13 games into his NHL career and Howden has shown he belongs so far with a gleaming 8 goals, 5 assists, 13 point stat line.
The Ranger defense as a six man unit, is playing better in the past few games. The group was plagued by poor gap control earlier in the season but Quinn thought they improved their play out West. He cited the D’s ability to close time and space on opposition forwards in the defensive zone and the increase of forcing turnovers. That will be the plan to combat Buffalo’s ESP line tonight.
As with all things Rangers, it begins and ends, with Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. He has decided to stay in NY and end his career as a Ranger despite the apparent rebuild. The Swede is 3-6-0-1 with a 2.77 GA and .917 Sa%. He will get the start tonight.
Next. Sam Reinhart Is Under Appreciated. dark
Here’s to hoping that the Buffalo Sabres didn’t use up all their goal scoring yesterday afternoon, and that there is some carry over to tonight’s tilt. How do you think Buffalo will fare against the struggling Rangers?