Brassard s power play goal NHL.com

Derick Brassard put the New York Rangers up 1-0 in Buffalo. The power play goal came off of a beautiful feed from Mats Zuccarello.

By Chris Wengert

Derick Brassard put the New York Rangers up 1-0 after receiving a beautiful pass from Mats Zuccarello.

The power play couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Rangers couldn’t find their forecheck against an aggressive Buffalo Sabers team.

The Rangers have been very sloppy with the puck, as Buffalo has already been credited with 5 giveaways just 10 minutes into the first period. Turnovers continue to plague the Blueshirts, who couldn’t protect to puck against the Islanders on Sunday.

Antti Raanta has bailed the Blueshirts out already, having smothered a couple Buffalo scoring chances. The Rangers almost allowed the Sabers to score on a short handed opportunity, but Raanta shut the door.

Buffalo is pressuring the Rangers’ wingers on the breakout, which is making the transition game difficult for New York.

I've been a die hard Rangers and Giants fan for as long as I can remember. I enjoy sharing opinions, and hearing from fans that love their teams just as much as I do. Henrik Lundqvist makes all of us look like mere mortals. E-mail me at: [email protected]