Buffalo scores late to send the game into overtime.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — In a battle of goaltenders, the New York Rangers salvaged the third and final game of the season series from the Buffalo Sabres with a 2-1 overtime victory on Thursday night at the Key Bank Center.
The Sabres won 4-3 over the Rangers in Buffalo on Dec. 1, 2016, and 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 3.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundquist was spectacular as he ended the game with 36 saves. He thwarted Greece native and Sabres team captain Brian Gionta a couple of times with some key stops. Gionta fired 6 shots on goal as Evander Kane paced Buffalo with 7 shots.
Robin Lehner was equally strong in net for Buffalo in holding the high-scoring Rangers to just the one goal in regulation. He finished the contest with a season-high 42 saves.
Chris Kreider scored his 20th goal of the season, and the game-winner, just 4 seconds after the penalty to Buffalo defenseman Taylor Fedun for slashing ended in the extra session. Fedun’s penalty likely prevented a goal.
Both teams entered the game on 2-game losing streaks.
Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian suffered a mid-body injury late in the first period and did not return to the game as Buffalo had to rotate 5 defensemen the rest of the way.
Mats Zuccarfello scored for the Rangers late in the second period on a power play, after Marcus Foligno was whistled for holding Rick Nash.
Cody Franson finally got the disc behind Lundquist with a shot from the high slot on a rebound off a shot by Ryan O’Reilly with 5:31 remaining in the third period.
Buffalo is home to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.