Key Highlights
- Miller returned to the lineup after missing the past seven games due to an upper-body injury. Miller recorded 20:24 minutes in his first game back. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Just (was) trying to get back as soon as I can,” Miller said.
- “The same injury now twice in six weeks or a month, try to be careful.”The shot totals through two periods were even at 18 shots apiece, but the Sabres held a commanding 3-1 lead. Why is that?The Rangers largely found themselves in a two-goal deficit due to unnecessary turnovers, which could only be described as lackadaisical and sloppy play. You can say the Blueshirts generated some chances throughout the first 40 minutes of play.
- However, their offense just felt stale, and there wasn’t much sustained pressure from New York. To start the third period, the Rangers came out with a strong push, dictating the pace of play through their control of the puck and physicality. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVincent Trocheck’s goal less than one minute into the final frame brought much-needed life into Madison Square Garden, and they came pretty close on numerous occasions to tying up the game.“I thought the third period, that's been our best period in a while,” Mike Sullivan said.
- “Just the push, the energy, the willingness to compete, the physicality, both offensively and defensively, getting inside at the net, all the things we're asking them to do, I thought were there.”Toward the end of the contest, the Rangers were rewarded with a 4-minute power play and a golden opportunity to even up the score, but a costly turnover from Alexis Lafrenière led to a Mattias Samuelsson shorthanded goal, putting New York’s momentum to a screeching halt.“I just think it boils down to decision-making,” Sullivan said of Lafrenière’s turnover.
- “They have a game plan going in, so they have an understanding of what they're up against.
