GDT [RS #32] Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres — Christmas Eve Eve

[Drew a Penalty]

REGULAR SEASON GAME #32 — 12/23/23

vs.

Location: Madison Square Garden — New York, NY
Time: 7:30 PM
TV: MSG, MSG-B
Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM

USEFUL LINKS:

Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • MollieeWalkerr • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @StapeAthletic

Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram

Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/sabres

GameCenter - here

 

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Standings:

RECORD:

POSITION:

ROW:

P%:

HOME:

AWAY:

S/O:

LAST 10:

STREAK:

22-8-1 (45 Points)

1st — Metropolitan

21

.726

10-4-0

12-4-1

1-1

6-4-0

L1

Team Statistics:

DIFF:

GF/GP:

GA/GP:

PP%:

PK%:

Corsi For (CF)%:

+18 (5th)

3.32 (13th)

2.74 (9th)

31.3% (1st)

85.6% (5th)

49.8% (16th)

Team Leaders:

Goals:

Assists:

Points:

+/-:

PIM:

TOI/G (D):

TOI/G (F):

Artemi Panarin (17)

Artemi Panarin (26)

Artemi Panarin (43)

Jacob Trouba (+7)

Jacob Trouba, Vincent Trocheck (33)

Jacob Trouba (22:24)

Vincent Trocheck (20:50)

Starting Lineup:^

Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Blake Wheeler

Artemi Panarin A  / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle / Nick Bonino / Jonny Brodzinski

Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Tyler Pitlick

 

Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A
K'Andre Miller / Jacob Trouba C
Erik Gustafsson / Braden Schneider

^Subject to change

Starting Goaltender:

Igor Shesterkin

 

GS:

REC:

SV%:

GAA:

SO:

19

12-7-0

.906

2.86

0

Healthy Scratches:

Zac Jones

Injuries, Suspensions, Misc:

Filip Chytil [LTIR] — Extremely ded

Kaapo Kakko [LTIR] — Very ded
 

 

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Standings:

RECORD:

POSITION:

ROW:

P%:

HOME:

AWAY:

S/O:

LAST 10:

STREAK:

14-17-3 (31 Points)

7th — Atlantic

14

.456

7-8-1

7-9-2

0-1

4-5-1

W1

Team Statistics:

DIFF:

GF/GP:

GA/GP:

PP%:

PK%:

Corsi For (CF)%:

-14 (26th)

3.03 (21st)

3.41 (24th)

14.3% (26th)

80.4% (15th)

50.0% (15th)

Team Leaders:

Goals:

Assists:

Points:

+/-:

PIM:

TOI/G (D):

TOI/G (F):

Jeff Skinner (14)

Casey Mittelstadt (20)

Rasmus Dahlin, Casey Mittelstadt (28)

JJ Peterka (+8)

Connor Clifton (44)

Rasmmus Dahlin (24:57)

Alex Tuch (19:15)

Starting Lineup:^

Jeff Skinner / Tage Thompson / Alex Tuch
JJ Petereka / Dylan Cozens / Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway / Casey Mittelstadt / Zach Benson
Victor Olofsson / Peyton Krebs / Kyle Okposo

Rasmus Dahlin / Mattias Samuelsson
Owen Power / Connor Clifton
Ryan Johnson / Henri Jokiharju

^Subject to change

Starting Goaltender:

Ukko Pekka Luukkonen
 

GS:

REC:

SV%:

GAA:

SO:

13

6-8-1

.883

3.17

1

Healthy Scratches:

Erik Johnson, Eric Robinson, Tyson Jost

Injuries, Suspensions, Misc:

Zemgus Girgensons [IR] — Lower-body injury

 

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QUOTE(S) TO NOTE:

“We were just a little bit too much east-west. I think when our team is playing our best, we're playing with a ton of speed headed north. We're really tough to handle when we play that way. We've got a lot of guys who can skate really well. But when we try to make plays at the blue line or try to force plays in at the top of the circles, especially with world-class players on the other team, it's not the best formula."

 

— Blake Wheeler

GIF to LOL:

[Br4d]

That quote by Wheeler is perfect.

 

That Rangers do not have the talent to dawdle at the blue line when they are facing a team that has real offensive talent.

[siddious]

12-0 Buffalo 

[Bugg]

 

Sabres playing this game for Dick Duff, who appears to be about 67 years old in this photo. In fact he was 35; aged kinda badly like lots of people back then; too much boozing, smoking, bad training. Win one for Ol'Dick and his Medicare Part B copay. 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Bugg

[Ozzy]

54 minutes ago, Bugg said:

 

Sabres playing this game for Dick Duff, who appears to be about 67 years old in this photo. In fact he was 35; aged kinda badly like lots of people back then; too much boozing, smoking, bad training. Win one for Ol'Dick and his Medicare Part B copay. 

 

...and one for "Donut hole".

 

I'm still pissed about last night, so let's kick the shit outta these guys huh?

[Albatrosss]

4-1 Sabres

 

Wheeler negates the icing. 

[Br4d]

I feel really confident even though it's our #2 goalie in net.

[The Dude]

I'm expecting a Shesterkin show tonight. I'd imagine he's not happy with Quick getting so many deserved accolades. 

 

Game on. Shesterkin is going to be brilliant. 

 

Darren Puppa for trivia 

Wheeler scores another 2 and continues to get shit on here. 

Goodrow decides to show up tonight and pots a goal 

Miller gets a game misconduct for round house kicking Skinner.

Pre game Rangers announce a trade with Buffalo acquiring Jordan Greenway in exchange for Zac Jones, Tyler Pitlick and a 4th round pick. Giving the Rangers the most expensive 4th line in hockey history. 

 

[Pete]

3 minutes ago, The Dude said:

I'm expecting a Shesterkin show tonight. I'd imagine he's not happy with Quick getting so many deserved accolades. 

 

Game on. Shesterkin is going to be brilliant. 

 

Darren Puppa for trivia 

Wheeler scores another 2 and continues to get shit on here. 

Goodrow decides to show up tonight and pots a goal 

Miller gets a game misconduct for round house kicking Skinner.

Pre game Rangers announce a trade with Buffalo acquiring Jordan Greenway in exchange for Zac Jones, Tyler Pitlick and a 4th round pick. Giving the Rangers the most expensive 4th line in hockey history. 

 

If Wheeler continues to score, he won't get shit on. The reason he gets shit on is because he pots a couple of points and then doesn't do dick for a month. 

[Br4d]

11 minutes ago, Pete said:

If Wheeler continues to score, he won't get shit on. The reason he gets shit on is because he pots a couple of points and then doesn't do dick for a month. 

 

3 goals and 6 pts in last 5 games.  If he can maintain a 60 point pace over the next 51 games (31+ points) he'll be a positive for the team.

 

Obviously we'd like more but that is unlikely at his age.

[Pete]

21 minutes ago, Br4d said:

 

3 goals and 6 pts in last 5 games.  If he can maintain a 60 point pace over the next 51 games (31+ points) he'll be a positive for the team.

 

Obviously we'd like more but that is unlikely at his age.

I'm aware of the numbers. And then the 10 games before that, 2 points. That's the issue. 

[Br4d]

57 minutes ago, Pete said:

I'm aware of the numbers. And then the 10 games before that, 2 points. That's the issue. 

 

It seems like he has been much better on line 1 than anywhere else.  Given the Rangers weaknesses at RW I think just leaving him there is the logical choice.  Preferably with Panarin bumped up to line 1 alongside him and Zibanejad.

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Br4d said:

 

It seems like he has been much better on line 1 than anywhere else.  Given the Rangers weaknesses at RW I think just leaving him there is the logical choice.  Preferably with Panarin bumped up to line 1 alongside him and Zibanejad.

I was a big fan of the signing and I wanted them to grab him as soon as I heard he was being bought out. I want him to succeed, but I'm not going to sit here and act like the criticism isn't warranted and I'm not going to chase phantom ideas like MZ and CK got better once Wheeler got on their line, because that just isn't true. 

 

If anything there just hiding Wheeler where he could do the least amount of harm. 

[BrooksBurner]

3 hours ago, The Dude said:

I'm expecting a Shesterkin show tonight. I'd imagine he's not happy with Quick getting so many deserved accolades. 

 

Game on. Shesterkin is going to be brilliant. 

 

Darren Puppa for trivia 

Wheeler scores another 2 and continues to get shit on here. 

Goodrow decides to show up tonight and pots a goal 

Miller gets a game misconduct for round house kicking Skinner.

Pre game Rangers announce a trade with Buffalo acquiring Jordan Greenway in exchange for Zac Jones, Tyler Pitlick and a 4th round pick. Giving the Rangers the most expensive 4th line in hockey history. 

 

I’ll throw you a bone. Wheeler has been growing on me. He’s slower than dirt. Almost as slow as Bonino. But he’s been making some good plays with the puck, and he’s also pretty tough to get off the puck when he has it. He does good work along the boards. That strong 6’5 frame comes in handy. I think he has actually started to settle in and is showing signs of potentially being a good partner for Zib/Kreider. The numbers suggest there’s something there.

[Dem]

[Br4d]

He also hits people if they just stand still for a second so he can get there.  A few crunchers recently about half of which were not him plowing into the boards.

 

Unrelated: Cuylle has gotten really good lately at sidestepping hits on the boards.  I count about once a game he smoothly gets out of the way just as opponent rattles himself on the boards.

Edited December 24, 2023 by Br4d

[Dem]

I think Sam is sucking the life out of Micheletti. It's how he keeps going taking others life force.

[Br4d]

1 minute ago, Dem said:

I think Sam is sucking the life out of Micheletti. It's how he keeps going taking others life force.

 

I swear I thought I was the only one who saw Sam's vampiric qualities. 

[Sharpshooter]

24 minutes ago, BrooksBurner said:

I’ll throw you a bone. Wheeler has been growing on me. He’s slower than dirt. Almost as slow as Bonino. But he’s been making some good plays with the puck, and he’s also pretty tough to get off the puck when he has it. He does good work along the boards. That strong 6’5 frame comes in handy. I think he has actually started to settle in and is showing signs of potentially being a good partner for Zib/Kreider. The numbers suggest there’s something there.

He does more at even strength than Kreider. lol

[Dem]

Common Shesty show us something tonight. Don't be the #2

[Br4d]

Laffy needs to cut the damn beard.  It robs him of his strength and scoring prowess.

[Cr00zng]

Hello Blueshirts! Let’s hope this game will have a better ending. LGR!

[Sharpshooter]

Just now, Br4d said:

Laffy needs to cut the damn beard.  It robs him of his strength and scoring prowess.

Yes, because he definitely has too much of both of those things. Agreed.

[Br4d]

If Laffy was clean-shaven he has just a little less wind resistance and he is right there for that tip-in.

[Sharpshooter]

I will admit these third jerseys have grown on me a little bit.