In quite the back and forth outing with Buffalo, the Rangers came out on top thanks to a K’Andre Miller game winner, 122 seconds into overtime. Buffalo, who has won or lost the last four of their most recent games by one goal, kept that streak alive as they gave the Rangers a run for their money, forcing them to overtime. The Rangers collected four of four possible points this weekend with one of their best games of the season against Pittsburgh on Friday in addition to last night's win. This puts them within a point of the Penguins for second place with a game in hand and four points behind the Hurricanes for first.
The Rangers got off to a quick start, quickly maintaining puck possession and generating steady offense. Frank Vatrano in particular, came out swinging for the Rangers and just outside four minutes into the game, put a shot past the veteran Craig Anderson to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead early. On that same shift just 18 seconds later, Frank Vatrano intercepted the puck and found himself on a breakaway where he beat Anderson once again for his second of the night. This trade among all of the moves Chris Drury made at the deadline already seem to be paying dividends.
Slow and steadily, Buffalo began to wake up increasing pressure and with just under two minutes to go in the period, Rasmus Asplund scored to cut the lead in half. Asplund’s goal would give Buffalo some life as they came into the second period stronger and just over two minutes in, Will Butcher shot the puck through a screen for his second goal of this season to tie the game up at two. You couldn’t really blame Georgiev for either of the first two goals, a defensive zone breakdown led to Asplund being left all alone back door on the first one and he couldn’t see the puck on the second one. Buffalo’s third goal however, was certainly one he should have been able to make the save on as Kyle Okposo came in and snuck one through Georgiev’s legs.
Luckily, the Rangers kept the pace and about five minutes later, Filip Chytil fed Alexis Lafreniere with a nice pass who came in cutting to his backhand to tie the game up at three. Not for nothing, but Alexis Lafreniere on the third line is beginning to look like the move going into playoffs. He’s currently on a point streak and has looked just as good, if not better on the wing with Chytil, playing on his strong side. Especially if they put Kakko on that line to start with Vatrano and Copp continuing to bring what they can to the table, the Rangers could run four lines that are all very capable of driving offense and being responsible defensively.
To the third we go and it was Artemi Panarin regaining the lead for the New York Rangers. Panarin, who on the shift prior, passed the puck in which he had a great opportunity to get a quality shot off, must’ve decided to take the shot on the next play which resulted in a huge goal. Later in the period, Patrik Nemeth got called for high sticking, the only penalty of the game other than a very questionable too many men call on Buffalo. The Sabres power play would go to work and Jeff Skinner would put one away to once again tie the game up.
What has become one of the most important factors of 3-on-3 overtime, a factor in which Buffalo certainly priorizied is puck possession. Sabres Coach Don Granato opted to put his best face-off man out there to start the overtime in Cody Eakin. Eakin inevitably won the faceoff and immediately got off the ice for a more skilled player and the Sabres essentially played keep away for 90 seconds. Finally, the Rangers were able to gain possession and broke the puck out. After a couple line changes, Andrew Copp was out there with Alexis Lafreniere who fed K’andre Miller a perfect pass to let a rocket of a shot go to put this one away, giving the Rangers a 5-4 win in overtime.
Couple of the big takeaways from this one. K’Andre Miller is an absolute stud on defense, the Rangers truly hit big on that draft pick as MIller is already a top four defenseman on this team and has the potential to be for the better half of the next decade, if not longer. As we are currently approaching the end of his second year in the league, he is already playing like a seasoned pro and is not only trusted to defend some of the league's best players, but at times, does so effortlessly. In addition to Vatrano, pretty much all of the players acquired at the deadline are already making Chris Drury look like a genius as Copp is fitting in with the rest of the forwards very well and Tyler Motte is proving to be what the Rangers were sort of forcing Dryden Hunt to be.
Ryan Strome left the Rangers bench pretty early in the game as it was later announced he would not return to the night’s action as the result of a lower body injury. Gerard Gallant assured in post game that the injury didn’t appear to be anything serious but then again, said that about Kakko and Rooney who both haven’t played in quite some time. While the hope is that he will be good to go for the next time the Rangers take the ice, the Rangers now do indeed have the depth to prepare for these kinds of things. The Rangers are back at it on the road for a back to back with Pittsburgh and Detroit on Tuesday and Wednesday and will return home to host the Islanders on Friday. As we approach the final month of the season, the Rangers will likely be playing for home ice advantage in the second and third seed match up in the Metro, unless they are able to go on a run and pass the Hurricanes for first.
Chris Feldman
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