Any loss at this time of the year when all points are
so tightly contested hurts, but this game has some extra sting to it. Part of the sting is the fact we have seen
this movie far too often in the past two months. Rangers fall behind by two, rally to get
within one, have countless chances to tie the game and “just run out of time.” I am tired of talking about how hard they
played and how close they came, at some point all loses are loses as there are no
moral victory points in the standings, which got a lot worse for the Rangers
tonight.
The overreactions are flying from everywhere about how
the season is over and this team is worthless and if you believe that, then
frankly just stay away for the rest of the year because we do not need you
around. This team lacks true talent, but
you cannot question their heart and that is part of what makes them so
frustrating right now because unlike past years where they would mail games in,
they fight to stay in it and are coming up short.
Yes, the officiating was awful tonight. Yes, the awful officiating led to goals for
Buffalo and maybe stopped us from getting some with our power play actually
looking good. In the end though it doesn’t
matter because they aren’t going to go back and undo it. Have to move on and look to Thursday and beat
the Wild at home.
Recap of the action after the jump:
The first ten minutes of the game had absolutely no
pace or flow as both teams played extremely tentative hockey. The pace picked up some in the last five
minutes of the period with the Rangers getting their best shift from the Dubinsky,
Anisimov, Callahan line, which resulted in multiple chances including one that
trickled wide.
With three minutes left in the period the Sabres got a
power play on a weak call on Michael Sauer.
Sauer went off for interference on Tyler Ennis and while it was likely a
penalty the game has become really soft if those things are penalties. Just 15 seconds into the man advantage the
Sabres converted on a Tyler Myers shot from the point that deflected off the
stick of Dan Girardi. Lundqvist wanted
an interference call on the play, but none came.
The second saw much better flow to the action and the
Rangers had their share of chances. Early
in the second Drew Stafford had an open net and was going to give the Sabres a
two goal lead, but Ryan McDonagh made a brilliant play with his stick to
prevent the goal.
Just past the midway point of the period Wojtek Wolski
got called for his second penalty, and the Sabres cashed in this chance. Brad Boyes got the tally in his first game as
a Sabre, but the play was made by Paul Gaustad when he flipped the puck to an
open Boyes who slid the shot under a diving Lundqvist to give Buffalo a 2-0
lead.
Only 11 seconds later Mike Weber took a kneeing
penalty on Sean Avery in the neutral zone.
Bryan McCabe showed his worth on the power play as he kept firing bombs
from the point, and in a shocking turn of events for Rangers fans actually
hitting the net. The threat of the
McCabe shot gave Erik Christensen room as he came off the wall and fired a wrist
shot by Ryan Miller. A Ryan Callahan
screen also played a key role on the goal that cut the Sabres lead to 2-1 13:45
into the second period.
The Rangers had a golden chance late in the period
when on the man advantage Derek Stepan got the puck at the left faceoff circle
and had Ryan Miller out of position, but instead of shooting into the half open
net Stepan fired it right into the chest of Miller.
Early in the third period the Sabres extended the lead
back to two with a beautiful play by Andrej Sekera to hit the stick of Jochen
Hecht wide open in front for the easy deflection goal. A huge key on the play was the net presence
of Thomas Vanek who occupied Michael Sauer and left Hecht wide open for the
deflection.
The Rangers would answer only 1:20 later on a goal by
Artem Anisimov to cut the Buffalo lead to 3-2.
The goal never happens without Wolski and Anisimov’s work on the initial
forecheck or the pinch by Ryan McDonagh along the wall. Eventually the puck would work to Anisimov in
the slot and he wouldn’t miss giving the Rangers life with just under 16
minutes left.
With just over six minutes left, Mats Zuccarello got
two golden chances in front with no Sabres defenders in sight. Miller would stop the initial shot and
Zuccarello would get the rebound through the legs but Miller got his glove on
it out of desperation to keep it out of the net.
Just over one minute left it would be Zuccarello again
who got the puck wide open in front off of a beautiful play by Wolski, but Miller
stoned him with the glove. Miller was
out of position after the save, but the Rangers could not get a shot on net as
Jochen Hecht tied up Erik Christensen in front.
- Zuccarello just cannot buy a goal.
- Ryan McDonagh played another outstanding game and this kid only impresses more with each time out there.
- Bryan McCabe and his blasts from the point actually make this power play watchable.
- 14-15-3 at home is absolutely horrific. Someone has to do something about it, especially the first periods. I have never seen a team play with less energy in the first period in their own building than this one does..
