RANGERS FALL TO BUFFALO 3-1 AMID QUESTIONABLE OFFICIATING
After a scoreless first period and just past the halfway mark of the second period Chris Kreider was called for a "ghost" holding penalty that resulted in Connor Sheary's first power play goal of two on the night. Buffalo's Jeff Skinner, skating alongside Kreider heading into the neutral zone had clearly grabbed around the arm of Kreider and pulled both players to the ice. Although clearly an infraction by Skinner, Kreider wound up being penalized for a 2 minute holding penalty. Kreider would voice his displeasure before and after the call which came upon deaf ears. What further more brought the officiating into question was with less than a minute remaining on the penalty the Sabres who clearly had 6 skaters on the ice instead of the maximum 5, with possession of the puck headed into the Rangers zone and scored the first goal of the game to go up 1-0.
Sheary would once again tally a power play goal in the third period just under a minute in with Mika Zibanejad in the box for a tripping penalty to put the Sabres ahead 2-0. The Rangers would pick up their highest shots on goal in the third totaling 19 but were thwarted time and time again by Hutton who was spectacular for the home team.
More questionable officiating came when the Rangers on a rush in Buffalo's end saw the Sabres' Patrik Berglund clearly take a head shot to Rangers rookie Filip Chytil. Berglund clearly connected with a shoulder to the chin of Chytil but was not called for the flagrant illegal hit. Chytil was checked on the bench then sent to the locker room for mandatory NHL concussion protocol would return for a few shifts but did not see much icetime afterwards. Chris Kreider would also make a visit to the Rangers locker room. For Kreider it would be a stop over for stitches after taking a deflection to the helmet visor that would result in a cut just above his left eye.
Brett Howden finally broke Hutton's shutout bid with a wrist shot with just under 5 minutes remaining in regulation. The tally was Howden's first NHL Career Goal and also the first point as a Ranger for defenseman Adam McQuaid who picked up the primary assist.
Despite hard work and numerous chances in the final 5 minutes the Rangers could not tie the game and Buffalo's Captain Jack Eichel tallied an empty net goal with 2 seconds remaining.
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 27 of 29 shots and was steady the entire game coming up with "Lundqvist-esque" saves of his own.
FINAL GAME STATS
New York Rangers 1 Buffalo Sabres 3
SOG: NYR 44 BUF 29
PIM: NYR 17 BUF 15
PPO: NYR 0/3 BUF 2/4
FO%: NYR 48% BUF 52%
TKA: NYR 2 BUF 2
GVA: NYR 4 BUF 6
HITS: MYR 18 BUF 18
BLK: NYR 13 BUF 13
GOALTENDERS: NYR H. Lundqvist 27 SV, 2 GA
BUF C. Hutton 43 SV, 1 GA
SCORING SUMMARY
1st PERIOD
13:15 BUF PPG - Conor Sheary (1) ASST: Rasmus Ristolainen (1), Casey Mittelstadt (1) 0-1
2nd PERIOD
1:42 BUF PPG - Conor Sheary (2) ASST: Jack Eichel (1), Sam Reinhart (1) 0-2
3rd PERIOD
15:21 NYR Brett Howden (1) ASST: Adam McQuaid (1) Ryan Spooner (1) 1-2
19:58 BUF Jack Eichel (1) Unassisted
PENALTY SUMMARY
1st PERIOD
7:17 BUF Kyle Okposo: 2:00 Holding the Stick
10:57 BUF Evan Rodrigues: 2:00 Roughing
10:57 NYR Jimmy Vesey: 2:00 Roughing
11:53 NYR Chris Kreider: 2:00 Holding
14:35 BUF Nathan Beaulieu: 5:00 Fighting
14:35 NYR Cody McLeod: 5:00 Fighting
15:43 BUF Bench Minor: 2:00 Too Man Men on Ice (served by Jason Pominville)
20:00 NYR Vinni Lettieri: 2:00 High-sticking
2nd PERIOD
11:10 NYR Adam McQuaid: 2:00 Hooking
3rd PERIOD
0:41 NYR Mika Zibanejad: 2:00 Tripping
6:19 BUF Jack Eichel: 2:00 Hooking
7:38 BUF Evan Rodrigues: 2:00 Roughing
7:38 NYR Mats Zuccarello: 2:00 Roughing
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