Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres at Rangers

NEW YORK – The Buffalo Sabres will play their final game before the holiday break when they take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

Buffalo looks to carry the momentum from its 9-3 win over Toronto on Thursday, when the Sabres put together a fast-paced, high-compete game that closely resembled their identity from last season. 

Pregame coverage on Saturday begins at 7 p.m. on MSG/MSG+ with puck drop scheduled for 7:30. Radio coverage can be found on WBEN 930 AM.

1. Lineup updates

The Sabres did not hold a morning skate due to an afternoon New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.

Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal against the Rangers, Sabres coach Don Granato announced. 

The remainder of the lineup will resemble Thursday's lineup against Toronto.

2. Last time out

The Maple Leafs scored a shorthanded goal 5:42 into the second period to cut their deficit to 4-3, but the Sabres responded with five unanswered goals in the second and third en route to a 9-3 win over Toronto on Thursday.

Seven different scorers tallied goals in the win while 14 players recorded at least one point. Alex Tuch (0+4), Tage Thompson (1+2), Jeff Skinner (2+1), Kyle Okposo (2+0), Connor Clifton (0+2), and Zach Benson (0+2) all had multi-point outings.

3. Oh, captain

Okposo has recorded at least a goal in consecutive games with three goals in that span.

Dating back to Dec. 7, Okposo leads all Sabres skaters in goals (5) and is tied with Rasmus Dahlin for the team lead in points (7).

4. The season series

Saturday’s contest marks the third and final meeting between the Sabres and Rangers in 2023-24 after the two teams split their first two matchups of the season.  

In their last meeting, the Sabres defeated the Rangers 5-1, led by two goals from Tuch and a three-point performance by Casey Mittelstadt (1+2).

Buffalo outshot New York 39-26 while goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 25 of 26 shots in the win.

5. Scouting the Rangers

New York sits atop the Metropolitan division standings with a 22-8-1 record, including a 10-4-0 record at home at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers have won three of their last four games but fell to the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Friday in the first game of their back-to-back set.

Mika Zibanejad enters Saturday on a six-game point streak, recording six goals and four assists in that span.

Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick started in the team’s matchup with the Oilers on Friday, setting up Igor Shesterkin for the start against the Sabres.