Game #56: New York Rangers vs Buffalo Sabres Open Thread

After nearly two weeks out of action as the 4 Nations Face-Off took place, the Rangers are ready to resume their playoff push tonight. Six Blueshirt skaters took part in the tournament, while the remainder of the teams enjoyed time to rest and recover for the final stretch run that begins tonight.

Entering play on Saturday three points back of the Detroit Red Wings, New York needs every point it and can get, and two points against the lowly Buffalo Sabres falls very much into the "can get" category. It's been yet another dismal season for Buffalo, currently languishing in the basement of the Eastern Conference and set to extend its league-high playoff drought to 14 seasons.

The two teams split the first two games of the season series, with Buffalo handing the Rangers a 6-1 defeat at Madison Square Garden in November before the Blueshirts returned the favor with a 3-2 victory in Buffalo in December. The season series is up from grabs tonight, and the Rangers can ill-afford to lose it.

Player to Watch: Artemi Panarin

While the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland were represented in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Russia was not. That provided an opportunity for New York's Russian stars, Panarin chiefly among them, down time ahead of this critical stretch of games. Keep an eye on Panarin tonight as he looks to help the Blueshirts jump back into the 2024-25 campaign with a win.

Enjoy the game!