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Last second heroics at MSG give the Rangers a 5-4 win over the Sabres

November 22, 2021, 10:27 AM ET [143 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Rangers completed a wild victory over the Sabres, scoring .7 seconds remaining to pull out a 5-4 win. For those who like fire wagon hockey, the second period sure had that, with four goals scored in a 1:22 span and and three markers in 32 seconds, Alexander Georgiev was pulled after the second stanza while Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko continued their recent major uptick in performance. New York is off until Wednesday when they face the Isles at UBS Arena.

Game recap:


A few thoughts:
1) Play to the whistle: you are always taught as a kid, play to the whistle, keep working until the whistle blows. Never was that adage more appropriate than last night, save for maybe Brad Richards' goal against Arizona several years ago with .1 remaining on the clock. Buffalo was playing for the game to end while New York kept grinding for the win.

Great work down low by Chris Kreider and Barclay Goodrow. Great recognition by Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren to slide further down in the offensive zone, cognizant that even if the Rangers lost the puck, there was not enough time for Buffalo to go down the ice and score.

Excellent feed from Kreider to Fox, who dished it to Zib as he was staying a bit high for a shot. Zib then passed to Lindgren at the front of the net for the tap in goal. 

The fun came after the final buzzer as Coach Gerard Gallant and Zib had a little tete-a-tete. Zib was chiping to the official after a no call not long before the final sequence and he likely was right while Gallant was telling him to just drop it. But the two were going at it.

2) Georgiev: not good at all. Not at fault for all the goals, but the shots by Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin should have been stopped. Granted he was screened, but still. Gallant would only say "coach's decision," but you could tell by the look on his face and the tone of his voice why the swap was made. Georgiev would have to pass through waivers to be sent down, but given the $9.1 million in cap space, I wonder if Keith Kinkaid gets the call up at some point, maybe to finally let Libor Hajek, who was recalled from his "conditioning" stint go. With three back-to-backs in 12 days in December, a solution needs to be determined fairly quickly.

3) Filip Chytil and Kakko: the confidence in each is eons beyond where it was two weeks ago. Both have picked up their games substantially. Chytil is driving to the net and creating chances. The jury is still out on whether he is a center or wing, as he and Goodrow did swap spots last night during the game, but Chytil was creative and aggressive in the offensive zone. As discussed by others, could we see Chytil on the top line with Goodrow centering Laf and Dryden Hunt, who also got a whirl on the top line yesterday?

Kakko now has a four-game point streak. Two weeks ago, on the play he scored, he would have just shot the puck when first received. Now, he is being patient when need be and aggressive when the time is right and making plays. The goal was a prime example, as he tapped the puck to Ryan Strome, who now has a six-game point streak, found the open space, then created more room and beat Aaron Dell stick side. The line of Panarin (three assists)-Strome and Kakko were buzzing all night but especially in the first period.

4) Jarred Tinordi: in the lineup for Nils Lundkvist, made an egregious turnover leading to Buffalo's second goal. If the Rangers plan to continue to sit Nils and the jury is still out on Patrik Nemeth, I could see the team pursuing another third pair blueliner down the stretch. Maybe Braden Schneider proves ready over the next two months and we know what Zac Jones is, but a defensive, defenseman could be the target.

5) Jacob Trouba: boy has he been good. Chipping in offensively (a goal down low Sunday), physical in his own zone, better defensively this year. The salary will always be an albatross, but he is playing like a first pair blueliner. K'Andre Miller, who also scored, has taken strides lately as well. If that duo can continue to improve while Fox and Lindgren play as they have, the top-four is set for a while.

6) Trade target? A tweet yesterday mentioned Patrick Maroon along with picks/prospects could be the return for Vitali Kravtsov. The thought/rumor has not been confirmed, so may just be speculation. I like Maroon and he fits the middle-six role GM Chris Drury wants and he has Cup winning experience. But if Tampa is giving him, that raises a red flag as New York did so well on the last trade ,Ade between the two teams. Plus, if dealing Kravtsov, I still want more.

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