Notes on the game
The Rangers are now 18-5-3 for 39 points in 26 games. That ties the 1971-72 team for most points after 26 games and it ties the 1993-94 team for most wins in 26 games.
The Rangers are second in the league with 10 road wins behind Calgary and Carolina with 11. Their 17 regular and overtime wins is second to Toronto and Carolinaa with 18.
Alexandar Georgiev had a wonderful night. He stole the game in the third period and is a different player than the one who was pulled the last time the Rangers played Buffalo.
Georgie says nyet pic.twitter.com/auSPfx6byB
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) December 11, 2021
When he took over after Igor Shesterkin was injured he had a 2-1-1 record with a .867 save percentage (Sv%) and a 3.89 goals against average (GAA), worst in the league. Since the third period of the San Jose game, he has a 3-0 record with a 2.22 GAA and .949 Sv%. His overall numbers are creeping up as he now has a .896 Sv% and a 3.07 GAA. Let’s not even talk about the two goals that shouldn’t have counted against Chicago.
Mika Zibanejad ended a 14-game scoreless streak with his goal. He has had 10 assists in those games.
The power play continues to drive the offense, going 1-2. The Blueshirts have now scored in six straight games, scoring at a 39% clip (7-18). They are seventh in the league now (24.%). The last time they scored PP goals in six straight games was October 2009.
The penalty kill was perfect, stopping both Sabres power plays. They have killed 25 of their last 26 penalties and are now sixth best in the NHL with am 83.5% success rate.
Alexis Lafrenière’s goal was his third game winner of the season, tied for the most on the team. He has seven game winning goals in his first two seasons and three of them have come against the Buffalo Sabres. He is on a pace to score 19 goals this season, not bad output for a player some say has been a bust of a top pick.
Barclay Goodrow had a very active game, getting into a fight with John Hayden just three minutes into the game. He took Dylan Cozen’s feet out from under him as time wound down and Cozens retaliated with a wicked two handed slash.
Adam Fox had two assists and leads all blueliners with 29 points. With 24 assists, he is second in the NHL to Connor McDavid who has 29 helpers.
With the two assists, Fox reached the 100 assist mark in his career in 151 games, become the sixth fastest to reach that mark. Sergei Zubov holds the record in only 127 games.<
Adam Fox recorded his 100th assist to match Quinn Hughes, who hit the milestone less than two weeks ago, as the sixth-fastest defensemen in NHL history to reach the milestone.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 11, 2021
Which blueliner will win the race to 2⃣0⃣0⃣? #NHLStats: https://t.co/OMwNJ8EbN4 pic.twitter.com/xjWzrq90ni
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Gerard Gallant is really changing how Artemi Panarin is deployed. Last season he routinely played in excess of 23 or 24 minutes in a game. Not this season and this game was a perfect example as he played 16:08, fewer minutes than four other forwards.
The Rangers have won 15 of their last 20 games versus Buffalo with a 15-4-1 record.