Coming off a brutal loss against the New Jersey Devils two nights prior, it didn't get any easier for the Buffalo Sabres as they were in New York for a battle against the Rangers. After what Sabres fans witnessed against New Jersey, I'm sure they didn't want to know how this game was going to play out.
Up next on the "Best win" series, we take a deeper dive into the Sabres 5-1 victory over the blue shirts. Buffalo had a 2-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes of play thanks to JJ Peterka who scored in the first period and Alex Tuch who scored in the second period.
In the third period, New York scored on the power play thanks to Mika Zibanejad. The Sabres lead was cut in half but Tuch scored again to make it 3-1. With the goaltender pulled, Casey Mittelstadt scored in the empty net before Kyle Okposo put the nail in the coffin to make it 5-1, resulting in the victory.
Buffalo outshot New York 17-3 in the third period, but that is not why this was my favorite victory from November. It was the play from goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In this game, he made some incredible saves to help preserve the Sabres victory. One of those saves included a stick shaft save as Luukkonen desperately lunged and the shaft was the only thing in the way from the puck going into the net.
The Rangers won the Presidents Trophy this year and Buffalo were average in their three meetings with New York this season as they went 1-1-1 against the blue shirts. While we are past the moral victories stage, this game was just another example of how the Sabres can beat anyone, including the best team in the National Hockey League.
Buffalo would see New York one more time in Madison Square Garden almost a month later, but lost in overtime.