Game #2: New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres Open Thread
After watching what looked like New York Rangers hockey from last season, the Blueshirts are on the road against the Buffalo Sabres looking for their first win of the season. This is the Sabres' season opener after finishing second to last in the Atlantic Division a season ago.
Despite battling through a lower-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan has confirmed that captain J.T. Miller will remain in the Rangers' lineup. Once again, Igor Shesterkin will step in between the pipes for the Rangers. In their last game, Shesterkin faced 29 shots in the home opener and came away with 28 saves, posting a .966 save percentage.
Now, all we can hope for is for Shesterkin to repeat this performance and for the offense to step it up after being shut out.
Player to Watch: Mika Zibanejad
While Tuesday's game was a tough watch, Mika Zibanejad played well despite the team being shut out. Zibanejad led the Rangers with seven shots on goal and was flying around the ice. Zibanejad (rightfully so) received a lot of blame for last season's struggles. However, the Blueshirts need to get the best out of him if they plan to make it back to the playoffs.
One of the positives from opening night that Sullivan expanded on this morning was the play of Mika Zibanejad.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 9, 2025
"I thought Mika played well. I thought he was on pucks. His skating, I thought, was evident. He had a couple of grade-A looks."
Added: "He’s trying to hang onto pucks… pic.twitter.com/d4LcaLsvJL
Anyone can have one good game, but now Zibanejad will have to prove that it wasn't a fluke. He will continue to play on a line with Will Cuylle and Miller, as that seems to be what gets the most out of him. As the team looks for their first win of the season, Zibanejad's performance will be key in helping the Rangers' offense get going.
Enjoy the game!
