Recap: Bottom Six Forces OT, but Rangers Come Up Short, 3-2 (OT)

The Rangers took on the Buffalo Sabres Friday night for the second game of their second-to-last back-to-back of the season. The wily veteran Jaroslav Halák was in goal for the Rangers, while young Devon Levi made his NHL debut for the Sabres. Both goalies played well, but the 21-year-old Levi earned his first NHL win.

First Period:

The Rangers had yet another listless first period, only managing a whopping two (2) shots on goal. Buffalo, as you might imagine, scored the game's first goal via a broken play. Vincent Trocheck and Niko Mikkola got tangled up when they both attempted to hit JJ Peterka. Things got scrambly until Dylan Cozens set up Peterka alone on the doorstep.

Second Period:

Buffalo added to their lead when Casey Mittelstadt alley-ooped the puck to Jordan Greenway. Greenway overpowered Ben Harpur and flipped a one-handed shot past Halák. Credit where it's due, that was a great play by Greenway. Blame where it's due, I don't know what happened to Halák there.

K'Andre Miller nearly got the Blueshirts on the board when he created a breakaway after a takeaway, but he missed the net. Still, the Rangers did get one back in the back half of the period. Alexis Lafrenière threw the puck on net on the rush, and Filip Chytil followed up the rebound. The puck popped into the air, over Levi, and onto the stick of Kaapo Kakko, who swiped it out of the air. Calculated.

Kakko nearly scored a second on a one-timer, but Levi played him perfectly and made a gorgeous glove save. Not bad for his first game, huh?

Third Period

Halfway through the third, the Rangers tied the game. The fourth line, which was the Rangers' best line all night, put the puck on net and jammed away. Levi lost the puck in the chaos–Adam Fox found it, and he tapped it in. Goodrow and Motte were credited with the assists. Gosh, I love this line.

The Rangers piled 21 shots on goal in the third, but scored only once.

O.T.

The Rangers had a couple looks on their first shift, led by Chytil and Fox, but Jeff Skinner carried the puck through Zibanejad, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Miller to score the game-winner.

. . .

The Rangers' bottom six carried them both in terms of expected goals and actual goals. Obviously the third line is the Kids Line, but does the fourth-line have a name? I always call them Vgotte in my head. Does anyone else call them that? What do you call them?

Anyway, the top six in its various configurations just awful. They couldn't create any offense and were absolutely shredded defensively. The difference between the players on the top and bottom six was stark whether you evaluated with your eyeballs or with the charts:

Yikes. At least no one got hurt?

The Rangers will next take on the Capitals for a Sunday mantinee.