BUFFALO, N.Y. (The Associated Press) — Adam Fox had a goal and two assist and the the New York Rangers beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Mika Zibanejad got his 300th career goal and Reilly Smith also scored for the Rangers, who snapped a two-game skid and got their third win in 11 games. Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots.
Owen Power and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who have lost eight straight (0-5-3). Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves.
Fox had assists on Zibanejad’s power-play goal at 7:01 of the first period and Smith’s goal with 6:31 left in the third period that made it 2-0. After Power pulled the Sabres within one less than 2 minutes later, Fox's empty-netter with 2:02 remaining sealed the win.
Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller did not play in the third period due to an upper-body injury.
Takeaways
Sabres: After stressing accountability all season, head coach Lindy Ruff benched star defenseman Power for the final 12 minutes of the first period after a turnover and forward J.J. Peterka for 19 minutes of the second period.
Rangers: Shesterkin’s win is his first since he signed an eight-year, $92 million contract extension and helps relieve some pressure after New York had back-to-back ugly losses to Seattle and Chicago at home.
Key moment
Zibanejad’s goal gave the Rangers the early lead and forced the Sabres to play from behind the rest of the way. New York’s record when scoring first improved to 12-2-0
Key stat
The last time the Sabres lost eight in a row was November 4-19, 2022, when they went 0-8-0. Buffalo last lost at least nine in a row when they dropped 18 straight games in February and March of 2021.
Up next
Sabres visit Washington on Saturday to open a three-game trip, and Rangers host Los Angeles.
The Sabres need to do something.
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) December 12, 2024
But they probably won't.
Some very quick thoughts following their eighth straight loss. pic.twitter.com/656rehAf4U
