BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alexander Georgiev stopped 36 shots and the New York Rangers benefited from a contended offsides call in the final minute to beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 Friday night and extend one of the best starts in team history.
The Sabres thought they had tied it on Victor Olofsson's goal with 57 seconds left. Officials confirmed that Olofsson's shot went in after caroming off defenseman Patrik Nemeth, but then the NHL disallowed the goal by ruling Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was offside when Buffalo entered the zone.
Replays showed Dahlin may have tagged up by touching the blue line as Olofsson touched the puck in the Rangers' zone. Without disputing the NHL's ruling, Sabres coach Don Granato said he questioned officials whether he could challenge the decision but was informed the league had already made its ruling.
Messages left with NHL officials were not immediately returned.
Mika Zibanejad got his first goal in 15 games and Alex Lafreniere also scored for the Rangers, who bounced back after having their seven-game winning streak snapped in a 7-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday. Adam Fox assisted on both goals to take over the NHL points lead among defenseman with 29.
The Rangers improved to 18-5-3, matching the franchise mark for most wins through 26 games. That record was set by the 1994 Stanley Cup champion team, which opened 18-6-2.
The Sabres extended their winless skid to 0-5-1 but avoided being shutout in consecutive games when Brett Murray converted Mark Pysyk’s pass from behind the net with 5:23 remaining. Buffalo was coming off a 2-0 loss to Anaheim on Tuesday.
Minor-league callup Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen stopped 29 shots and has lost five straight since winning his NHL debut in April.
Georgiev has won four in a row and improved to 5-1-1 this season. His best stops came in the opening two periods.
With 1:09 left in the first period, Georgiev got his glove out for a piece of Vinnie Hinostroza’s one-timer at the right post. Six minutes into the second period, Georgiev slid out his right pad to stop Zemgus Girgensons’ backhand attempt off a breakaway.
Zibanejad scored 4:48 into the first, giving the Rangers power-play goals in six straight and eight of nine. Artemi Panarin's cross-ice pass from the left boards hit the skate of Buffalo’s Mark Jankowski and deflected toward the net, forcing Lukkonen to kick out his right pad. Lukkonen was out of position as Zibanejad, from a bad angle, banked the puck off the goalie’s back.
New York went up 2-0 on Lafreniere’s goal midway through the second period. Fox set that up with a shot from the right circle, which Lukkonen flubbed off his blocker. The puck bounced to the goalie’s left, where Lafreniere swept into the open side.
INJURY UPDATES
Sabres: C Casey Mittelstadt had surgery to repair an upper-body injury he sustained Tuesday. He’s out indefinitely, and the latest injury comes after he was playing his third game after missing 21 with an upper-body injury. The Sabres placed Mittelstadt on injured reserve on Thursday. ... G Malcolm Subban skated in the morning and could be in position to return after getting hurt in his Buffalo debut, a 6-2 loss at Carolina last weekend.
Rangers: G Igor Shesterkin took the ice for a stretching portion of practice on Friday. He missed his fourth game with a lower-body injury sustained in a 1-0 win over San Jose on Dec. 3.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Host the Nashville Predators on Sunday night.
Sabres: Complete three-game homestand against Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
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