Recap: Rangers Drop Final Home Game to Buffalo 5-3

Game 79 of the season but it would be the final New York Rangers hockey game at the World’s Most Famous Arena for the 2025-26 season. The centennial season would conclude with one more night of the classic light blue jerseys as the Rangers hosted the playoff bound Buffalo Sabres in their third and final meeting of the season. 

From the hockey side of things, the Rangers kept the same lineup that’s been working for them as of late with Igor Shesterkin getting the start in net. 

First Period

After a decent start for the Rangers that included a Mika Zibanejad shot off the post as a result of a brutal turnover from Mathias Samuelsson, the Buffalo Sabres struck first. About five minutes in, Ryan McLeod received a pass from Jason Zucker off an errant puck in the neutral zone and beat Shesterkin clean with the wrist shot to make it a 1-0 game. 

Turnovers were happening early and often as Noah Laba had a grade-A scoring chance in the slot after a Sabres turnover that Ukko-Pekka Luukonen was able to shut down. About four minutes from the first goal, a strong forecheck from Josh Norris generated possession in the Rangers’ end of the ice. A shot from Rasmus Dahlin at the point redirected off the stick of Zach Benson to find the back of the net, making it a 2-0 game. 

The top line came close again for the Rangers as Alexis Lafrenière made a beautiful play to pass it to Zibanejad in the slot, although he couldn’t get enough on the backhand as he was taken down at the top of the blue paint. No call on the play as it was almost a penalty free period until McLeod was called for tripping in the final minute and a half of the period. 

The Rangers struggled to set up initially but once they regained the zone, a phenomenal shot pass from Adam Fox found Lafrenière right at the door step as he was able to deflect it in, bringing his team within one. 

The Sabres took the 2-1 lead into the first intermission of what was a relatively even opening period. Both sides were credited with eleven shots and five high-danger chances with the Rangers winning all but three of the 15 face-offs throughout the period. Lots of turnovers and limited defense but one of the more eventful starts to the game we’ve seen lately. 

Second Period

It took the Rangers 23 seconds into the second stanza to take their first penalty of the game as Fox leg tripped Tage Thompson in the defensive end of the ice. The 5-on-4 quickly turned into a brief 5-on-3 as Zibanejad lost a skate blade and had to push from one knee all the way back to the Rangers bench at the far end of the ice. That would be the third broken skate blade of the evening.

As the teams returned to even strength following a successful penalty kill, Drew Fortescue dished the puck ahead to send Lafrenière on a breakaway. A quick wrist shot beat Luukonen on the blocker side for his second of the night to tie the game up 2-2.

With just under six minutes to go in the period, the Rangers were sent back to the power play as Tye Kartye was hooked in the defensive zone by Peyton Krebs. The Rangers would have success again on the power play as just 30 seconds into the advantage, Fox let a shot go from the point that went through traffic and into the net, giving his team their first lead of the night, 3-2.

Less than a minute later, the Sabres got another crack at the power play as Vincent Trocheck was sent off for slashing. A minute in, Vladislav Gavrikov as battling with Jason Zucker down low and ended up throwing a couple cross-checks his way which turned the man advantage into a 5-on-3 for Buffalo. A big chance for Buffalo turned into an even bigger kill for the Rangers as they came out of it unscathed, holding onto their lead heading into the second intermission.

Shots were once again, tied after forty minutes of hockey—now at 19 apiece—with the Rangers holding the slight edge in attempts and scoring chances.

Third Period

After a slower start to the third, a shot from Krebs at the point appeared to redirect off of Alex Tuch in the slot to sneak through Shesterkin, tying the game back up, now 3-3. The goal would be credited to Krebs but was eventually changed back to Tuch.

Not longer after tying to game, the Sabres regained the lead. Jason Zucker was left unattended in front of the Rangers net and buried a rebound following a shot from the point. 4-3 Buffalo.

With exactly ten minutes to go, the Rangers went back to the penalty kill as Will Borgen was called for holding. The advantage would only last for 43 seconds as Josh Norris would get called for hooking against Kartye. With the teams skating at four aside, Borgen returned to give the Rangers a brief advantage but not enough of one for them to generate much.

Worth noting that 14 minutes into the period, the Rangers still did not have a shot on goal in the period. This continued as the period went on and the Sabres were out-shooting the Rangers 8-0 with two minutes to go. The Rangers were finally able to clear the zone, pull Shesterkin, and get a shot on goal with a minute and a half to go. It wasn't long before Buffalo went back the other way with it and Zach Benson picked up his second of the night on the empty net.

That would do it for this one as the Rangers fell short to the Sabres 5-3. The Rangers will hit the road to finish out the season as they will visit the Dallas Stars for a late Saturday afternoon outing.