BUFFALO — MSG Networks and Optimum might have come to an settlement simply in time to patch Saturday’s Rangers recreation again into properties, however followers in all probability wished they hadn’t.
For it was a disastrous scene for the Blueshirts at Keybank Middle, the place they resumed the common season after the 4 Nations break in essentially the most discouraging of how, getting clobbered within the first interval on the best way to an embarrassing 8-2 loss to the lowly Sabres, the fourth-worst group within the NHL.
This one was over after the primary 20 minutes, the ultimate 40 solely performed as a formality.
Igor Shesterkin, who suffered an upper-body harm simply earlier than the break, was pulled simply 18:21 into the sport after the star Russian goalie gave up 5 objectives on 16 photographs.
It hardly mattered that Jonathan Fast made 14 saves in aid.
Two of the 5 objectives Shesterkin gave up have been tipped in by way of visitors, however the 29-year-old wasn’t precisely monitoring the puck very properly within the time that he performed. Shesterkin needed to be eased again into apply this previous week after recovering from the unidentified harm that he took into the break.
Shesterkin hasn’t persistently carried out at best-goalie-in-the-world requirements since signing an eight-year, $92 million extension that can make him the highest-paid goalie within the league when it kicks in subsequent season.
In his 5 appearances earlier than the break, Shesterkin went 1-4-0 with a 3.84 goals-against common and .835 save share.
Factoring in Saturday’s recreation, Shesterkin’s save share is at roughly .817 over his final six video games.
Not solely was this the primary time Shesterkin gave up 5 objectives within the first interval, but it surely was additionally the quickest he’s been pulled in his six-year NHL profession, per Sportsnet.
The Rangers in entrance of him Saturday evening, nonetheless, didn’t do him any favors.
Okay’Andre Miller’s defensive-zone turnover whereas attempting to clear the puck had the Blueshirts trailing early, when Jack Quinn carried the puck again in and scored simply 1:46 into the sport.
It prompted head coach Peter Laviolette to place his strains in a little bit of a blender instantly.
Rasmus Dahlin later doubled the Sabres lead after getting a stick on Jordan Greenway’s shot.
The Sabres had a 3-0 lead by the 15:32 mark of the third interval when Tage Thompson — notably left off Workforce USA’s 4 Nations roster — shook off Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren within the nook earlier than powering his option to the online and ending on his backhand.
Ryan McLeod then flung one from the highest of the zone that took a bizarre bounce off Braden Schneider’s stick and went in.
With Sam Carrick within the penalty field for cross checking on the finish of the interval, Dahlin netted his second of the body on the Sabres energy play for the 5-0 lead.
That successfully ended Shesterkin’s evening, counting because the fourth time he has been pulled this season.
It additionally marked the primary time the Rangers allowed 5 objectives in a interval this season.
The Rangers minimize the deficit to a few after a two-goal second interval through which the 2 groups every completed with 10 photographs on purpose.
Chris Kreider redirected a feed from Artemi Panarin on the Rangers energy play to get on the scoreboard earlier than Mika Zibanejad batted within the rebound off his preliminary redirection to make it a 5-2 recreation.
There nonetheless wasn’t a lot pop to the sport regardless of the Rangers’ slight push.
The Sabres simply saved piling on, with Thompson notching his second of the sport on the 3:47 mark of the third interval earlier than McLeod did the identical just below two minutes later. Then one final parting shot with a Henri Jokiharju purpose with 36 seconds to go.
The Rangers gave up eight objectives for the primary time this season.
