Not A Happy New Year 2017 for the Rangers
The New York Rangers lost their first game of 2017 4-1 to the Buffalo Sabres. Even though they out shot the Sabres, Henrik Lundqvist looked off tonight in the game. Lundqvist stopped 15 of 19 shots tonight. Meanwhile, Buffalo goalie Anders Nilsson stopped 24 of 25 Rangers shots.
The Rangers also came out slow to start the game. They were out shot 9-5 in the first period. Then with 7:43 to go in the first, Brian Gionta centered a pass from the left corner that went off of William Carrier's skate. Zemgus Girgensons then backhanded it into the right side of the net for his fourth to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead. Then with 39 seconds left to play in the period, the Rangers gave up the puck on a failed line change. Sam Reinhart's shot was stopped by Lundqvist but Evander Kane knocked home the rebound , his 9th of the season, to give the Sabres a 2-0 lead.
Kane's late first period tally put the Sabres ahead 2-0.
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In just 1:03 into the second period, Justin Bailey stole a pass from Kevin Klein and fired home a shot to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead. For Bailey, it was his first career goal. The Rangers got on the board when Nick Holden scored his 8th goal of the season with 4:05 to play in the second period. The Rangers actually out shot the Sabres in the 2nd period 15-4.
Justin Bailey scored his first career goal Tuesday night at the Garden.
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In the third period, Jimmy Vesey of the Rangers was called for a hooking penalty 18 seconds into the third period. This proved costly as Jack Eichel scored 52 seconds later into the power play to give the Sabres a 4-1 lead. For Eichel, it was his 7th goal of the season. The Rangers would once again get out shot 6-5 in the third and would go down quietly in defeat.
