(WGR 550) – The Buffalo Sabres will try to keep their playoff hopes alive on Monday night at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.
Buffalo goes into Monday’s game five points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and six points behind both the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers. The Sabres have four games left, while the other three teams have two.
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The Sabres must catch two of the three teams, and have scheduled games against the NHL's sixth-ranked Rangers, third-ranked New Jersey Devils, 21st-ranked Ottawa Senators and 31st-ranked Columbus Blue Jackets.
Florida has a tougher schedule against the second-ranked Carolina Hurricanes and fifth-ranked Toronto Maple Leafs.
The problem is it’s a stretch to think the Islanders or Penguins will lose this week. Pittsburgh plays the NHL’s two worst teams - Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks - while the Islanders get the 25th-ranked Washington Capitals and 28th-ranked Montreal Canadiens.
Going 6-1-1 in their last eight games has Buffalo 20th overall in the NHL, but they haven't been able to pick up any ground.
Lance Lysowski from The Buffalo News reported from the morning skate Devon Levi was in the starter's net. This would be Levi’s fourth game in eight days. He’s 3-1-0 during that stretch with a 3.17 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.
In two games this season, Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have only given up four goals to the Rangers.
If Buffalo can get one more win, it would be the first time they won 40 games in a season since the 2010-11 campaign.
Injuries have forced Tage Thompson down the league scoring list. He’s now 14th overall with 93 points. Thompson’s 46 goals are down to sixth overall in the league.
New York has points in five-straight games, going 3-0-2. In their last 14 games, the Rangers are 10-2-2.
Igor Shesterkin has been in goal for five out of seven games, giving up nine goals. In his last game, he got a 20-save shutout against the Blue Jackets. Overall this season, Shesterkin is 37-13-7 with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Mika Zibanejad leads the way for the Rangers with 39 goals and 50 assists for 89 points in 80 games. Artemi Panarin also has 89 points this season.
Pat Kane returned against Columbus after missing two games due to injury.
Join Mike Schopp and the Bulldog at 6 p.m. ET for pregame coverage on WGR.
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