The Buffalo Sabres were in trouble on Thursday night. They held a one-goal lead late in the third period against the New York Rangers when Peyton Krebs took an ill-timed double minor for high sticking that put the team's second-ranked penalty kill under immense pressure.
Mattias Samuelsson relieved the tension just 14 second later. The defenseman took a pass from Ryan McLeod, skated down the wing and, to borrow a phrase from the legendary Rick Jeanneret, ripped a wrist shot top shelf where momma hides the cookies over the shoulder of Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick.
"Definitely was trying to go short side there," Samuelsson told reporters. "I think everyone kind of knows Quick's style, grew up watching him. It's more of a down-low goalie for sure. Just glad that one didn't go high and wide and wrap around."
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff added: "It was probably as good as any goal scorer. He might be getting the label as a goal scorer now if he keeps those up."
Samuelsson, who faced a lot of criticism entering the 2025-26 season, has been nothing short of outstanding for much of the campaign. He's already set new career-high totals in goals (seven) and assists (15), and he hasn't had to sacrifice his usual defensive reliability to make it happen.
His shorthanded goal against New York was a thing of beauty at the most opportune moment, and the Blue and Gold received an empty-net tally from McLeod to put the 5-2 win on ice.
Buffalo ended the night in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 50 points (23-15-4 record), a clear sign of progress after winning 12 of its past 13 games.
So, let's analyze the latest installment of our Sabres player grades series after Samuelsson and Co. picked up another crucial win in the crowded East playoff race.
Ryan McLeod shines as Buffalo Sabres take down the New York Rangers in Dec. 8 victory
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Ryan McLeod | 9.5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 9 |
Alex Tuch | 8.5 |
Josh Norris | 8 |
Jason Zucker | 8 |
Colten Ellis | 7.5 |
Josh Doan | 7.5 |
Tage Thompson | 7 |
Bowen Byram | 7 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 6 |
Jacob Bryson | 5.5 |
Zach Benson | 5 |
Zach Metsa | 4.5 |
Owen Power | 4 |
Jack Quinn | 3 |
Jordan Greenway | 3 |
Noah Ostlund | 2.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 2 |
Peyton Krebs | 1.5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Ryan McLeod
McLeod missed a long-range shot at the Rangers' empty net with less than two minutes remaining in the third period. He then noticed the New York blueliners weren't making a serious effort to retrieve the puck, so he outskated them down the ice to score the game's final goal.
It capped a tremendous performance from the 26-year-old center, who finished the night with two points, a plus-two rating and helped keep the Rangers' potent power play at bay while skating over three minutes on the penalty kill. He also won 10 faceoffs, more than his teammates' combined total (nine).
McLeod's overall numbers don't jump off the page (25 points in 42 games) but he's been a solid secondary scorer while typically taking on key defensive assignments on the third line. He can play in any situation, and he usually tips the ice in Buffalo's favor while he's out there.
Acquiring him from the Edmonton Oilers during the 2024 offseason was one of Kevyn Adams' best moves as Sabres general manager.
Sabres quick hits
- Jason Zucker's first goal since returning from injury won't make any year-end highlights reels — it bounced off his back and into the net — but his net-front presence always provides the Sabres' power play with a boost. It was part of a two-point night for the winger.
- Josh Doan scored a goal in his fourth straight game, a promising sign after he struggled to finish his chances early in the season.
- Colten Ellis played well in his first start since entering the NHL's concussion protocol on Dec. 9. New GM Jarmo Kekalainen is going to face a tough decision if he wants to break up the three-goalie rotation once Alex Lyon is healthy.
- Jack Quinn was a turnover machine on Thursday as his offensive slump continued.
- A rough night for Buffalo's fourth line of Noah Ostlund, Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn. Greenway looks like he's skating in freshly poured cement at the moment.
- Peyton Krebs struggled for the third straight game on the first line and he took the penalty that could have sank the Sabres if not for Samuelsson's heroics. A return to the fourth line is in order.
- Buffalo returns home for the next five games starting with Saturday night's (7 p.m. ET) clash with the Anaheim Ducks (21-20-3) at the KeyBank Center.