Rangers Suffer Embarrassing 8-2 Loss to Last-Place Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The New York Rangers returned from the NHL’s 4 Nations break with a sense of urgency, but they faced a reality check instead, suffering an embarrassing 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at KeyBank Center.

Just 1:46 into the game, the Rangers found themselves in a hole when Sabres forward Jack Quinn scored the opening goal. The team’s troubles continued, as they allowed a barrage of goals, culminating in a 5-0 deficit by the end of the first period—a period marked by a series of defensive lapses and mental errors.

The loss marked the first time this season the Rangers allowed five goals in a single period. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who returned from an upper-body injury, was pulled after allowing five goals on just 16 shots.

“There was nothing that was good about the game,” Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said postgame. “Terrible start. Terrible first period. It didn’t get much better from there.”

Shesterkin’s performance left much to be desired, as two of the goals he allowed were tipped in traffic. David Quick, who replaced Shesterkin, stopped 14 of 17 shots in relief but couldn’t stem the tide of Sabres’ offense that found its groove throughout the game.

“I think we were not in the right spots,” Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck stated. “They worked their butt off and kind of outworked us.”

Rasmus Dahlin was a standout for the Sabres, scoring two goals and contributing an assist, while Tage Thompson and Ryan McLeod each scored two goals, further compounding the Rangers’ woes.

The Rangers tried to fight back in the second period, with Chris Kreider scoring a power-play goal that marked his 116th career power-play goal, giving him sole possession of the franchise record. Mika Zibanejad managed to narrow the gap to 5-2 with a second goal, but the comeback proved fleeting.

Thompson netted his second goal early in the third period, quickly followed by McLeod’s second, sealing the comprehensive victory for Buffalo.

“What happened today is frustrating; we need a much better effort tomorrow,” Zibanejad said, referencing the Rangers’ upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.

The defeat placed the Rangers (27-25-5) deeper in the playoff race, leaving them four points shy of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They had entered the break with a glimmer of hope but now must regroup against their division rivals.

“It’s about moving on from this; we can’t let one game dictate our season,” Kreider remarked. “We need to focus on the next game and try to build some momentum.”