Sabres at Rangers
The Buffalo Sabres have won all five contests at home this season to skate off to their second-best 10-game start in franchise history. The Sabres hope their success travels well on Thursday when they venture across the Empire State to visit the reeling New York Rangers.
Captain Jack Eichel capped the seventh four-point performance of his career with his franchise record-tying sixth overtime goal in Tuesday's 4-3 win over San Jose, helping Buffalo (8-1-1) match the 1975-76 and 2009-10 teams for the second-best start in team history. "He's a dominant player who can take over plays. That's why he is who he is," linemate Jeff Skinner said of Eichel, who shares the team lead in goals (six) this season and is tied with Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek for the most overtime tallies in franchise history. While the Sabres are speeding along, New York has been stuck in neutral since following up two straight wins to open the season with five consecutive losses (0-4-1). "We know we're a lot better than this. Our guys are fragile right now," Rangers coach David Quinn said following Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to Arizona.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-B (Buffalo), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE SABRES (8-1-1): Rasmus Dahlin set up Eichel's goal in the second period on Tuesday to boost his point total to 10 (one goal, nine assists) in the team's first 10 games, making the former top overall pick the seventh defenseman in franchise history to accomplish that feat -- joining Phil Housley (four times), John Van Boxmeer (twice), Jocelyn Guevremont, Jim Schoenfeld, Hannu Virta and Brian Campbell. Fellow blue-liner Rasmus Ristolainen set up Sam Reinhart's second-period goal and Eichel's winner to give him four assists in his last five games. "It’s easy to be confident when your record is what we have, but it started with camp," the 24-year-old Ristolainen said, per the Buffalo News. "(Coach Ralph Krueger) brought the confidence. He brought a great game plan and system. That's what we have played out there. We're all on the same page and we’re seeing it’s working when we’re doing what the coaches say and we're working hard both ways."
ABOUT THE RANGERS (2-4-1): Tony DeAngelo matched a career high by scoring twice against his former team on Tuesday, with the two tallies in the second equaling a franchise record for goals in a period by a defenseman. New York has received production from its blue-liners, who have recorded 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in seven games this season. Pavel Buchnevich has five points (one goal, four assists) in his last six contests while fellow forward Ryan Strome has collected an assist in four of the last five games to boost his career point total to 199.
OVERTIME
1. New York has won 15 of its last 19 encounters against Buffalo.
2. Skinner, who has scored in consecutive contests, tallied twice in a 6-2 loss to New York on Feb. 15.
3. Thursday's contest will serve as the 2,000th all-time regular-season NHL game to be held at Madison Square Garden, with New York playing in 1,999 of them.