The New York Rangers have had a few days off following their Sunday win against the New York Islanders, but they’re back in action tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. Tonight’s game is the final matchup of a three-game homestand, as the Rangers aim to complete a sweep of their week at Madison Square Garden.
Tonight’s matchup is against a Buffalo Sabres team that has struggled to meet expectations. Under first-year head coach Lindy Ruff, Buffalo is off to a 5-7-2 start, despite having what they consider their best lineup in years. The Sabres have not made the playoffs since the 2010-2011 season, marking the longest playoff drought in the NHL.
While there’s still plenty of time left in the season, Buffalo is aiming to turn things around as the Rangers seek their third consecutive win. Here are three Blueshirts to watch:
1. Vincent Trocheck
On Sunday against the Islanders, Vincent Trocheck scored the 200th goal of his NHL career. It was his first goal since October 17, when he scored against Detroit.
Assuming Peter Laviolette sticks with the same lines tonight, Vincent Trocheck will center Reilly Smith and Will Cuylle, and he’ll need to be the primary offensive contributor. While Cuylle and Smith have had strong starts to the season, they aren’t quite on the level of Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, New York’s top two scorers so far.
The Cuylle-Trocheck-Smith line has the potential to be a consistent offensive force, and much of that responsibility will fall on Trocheck to lead the charge.
2. Adam Fox
Adam Fox has recorded just one point in his last four games, bringing his total to nine points in the first 11 games of the season. He snapped a three-game point drought by picking up a point against the Islanders.
Defensively, Adam Fox has had a solid start to the season with a +3 rating, but he hasn’t been as consistent a scorer as he has in previous years. However, it’s expected that his offensive production will pick up as the season progresses.
3. Igor Shesterkin
Igor Shesterkin has been a key presence in goal lately, with over 35 saves in each of his last three games, so he definitely needs to be on the list. The Sabres, coming off a 5-1 win against Ottawa, will likely test Shesterkin with plenty of shots tonight.
New York can’t lean on Shesterkin as heavily as they have over the past week, but at the moment, there’s no better goaltender in the NHL to handle the workload.
