Deadspin | Sabres top Rangers, take sole possession of first in Atlantic Division 
Apr 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (6) deflects the puck into the net past New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images Zach Benson scored twice, and the Buffalo Sabres recovered for a 5-3 win against the host New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (48-23-8, 104 points), who moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves.
Alexis Lafreniere scored twice, Adam Fox had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for the Rangers (33-37-9, 75 points), who had won two straight and five of their previous six games.
McLeod snapped a 16-game goal drought to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 4:40 of the first period. He received a feed from Zucker while skating down the right side and took it to the near circle before firing a snap shot that beat Shesterkin under his arm blocker side.
Benson made it 2-0 at 8:58. Rasmus Dahlin fired a shot from above the right circle, and Benson, battling at the crease, redirected it past Shesterkin’s right pad.
Lafreniere cut it to 2-1 on the power play at 19:21. J.T. Miller fed Fox at the point, and Fox fired a quick shot that Lafreniere tipped by Luukkonen’s glove.
Lafreniere struck again early in the second period to pull the Rangers even. Drew Fortescue intercepted the puck off a Buffalo turnover at the New York blue line and spotted Lafreniere for a breakaway, with the winger putting a snap shot over Luukkonen’s right arm at 2:57.
Fox’s wrist shot from the top of the slot on the power play beat a screened Luukkonen inside the right post to put the Rangers ahead 3-2 at 14:44.
Alex Tuch tipped a shot from Peyton Krebs from the blue line by Shesterkin’s glove at 5:51 of the third period to tie it 3-3.
Zucker made it 4-3 Sabres roughly a minute and a half later, collecting a loose puck on the doorstep and slipping it past a sprawled Shesterkin at 7:14.
Benson added an empty-net goal at 18:45 for the 5-3 final.
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Sabres #top #Rangers #sole #possession #Atlantic #Division
Apr 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (6) deflects the puck into the net past New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images Zach Benson scored twice, and the Buffalo Sabres recovered for a 5-3 win against the host New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker each had a goal and an assist for the Sabres (48-23-8, 104 points), who moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves.
Alexis Lafreniere scored twice, Adam Fox had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for the Rangers (33-37-9, 75 points), who had won two straight and five of their previous six games.
McLeod snapped a 16-game goal drought to give Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 4:40 of the first period. He received a feed from Zucker while skating down the right side and took it to the near circle before firing a snap shot that beat Shesterkin under his arm blocker side.
Benson made it 2-0 at 8:58. Rasmus Dahlin fired a shot from above the right circle, and Benson, battling at the crease, redirected it past Shesterkin’s right pad.
Lafreniere cut it to 2-1 on the power play at 19:21. J.T. Miller fed Fox at the point, and Fox fired a quick shot that Lafreniere tipped by Luukkonen’s glove.
Lafreniere struck again early in the second period to pull the Rangers even. Drew Fortescue intercepted the puck off a Buffalo turnover at the New York blue line and spotted Lafreniere for a breakaway, with the winger putting a snap shot over Luukkonen’s right arm at 2:57.
Fox’s wrist shot from the top of the slot on the power play beat a screened Luukkonen inside the right post to put the Rangers ahead 3-2 at 14:44.
Alex Tuch tipped a shot from Peyton Krebs from the blue line by Shesterkin’s glove at 5:51 of the third period to tie it 3-3.
Zucker made it 4-3 Sabres roughly a minute and a half later, collecting a loose puck on the doorstep and slipping it past a sprawled Shesterkin at 7:14.
Benson added an empty-net goal at 18:45 for the 5-3 final.
–Field Level Media
Post Comment