Ryan Callahan apparently likes winning games against the Buffalo Sabres. In 21 games he’s registered 7 goals and 4 assists, which isn’t all that impressive really. But when you look at the goals he has scored, five have turned out to be game winners, and the last two shootout wins have been decided by Callahan goals.
The Rangers captain grew up in Rochester, about 75 miles from where the Buffalo Sabres play, and whether that is part of the reason he gets up for the Sabres, only he knows.
Other Rangers who’ve had some success against the Sabres include Marian Gaborik – 5 goals and 3 assists in 12 games, Carl Hagelin – 3 goals and an assist in five appearances, and Rick Nash who had a goal, an assist and a shootout goal in his only meeting with the Sabres since joining New York.
Gaborik and Michael Del Zotto haven’t fared so well defensively however, with Gaborik a -7 and Del Zotto a -8 against the team at the other end of the state. Mostly because the points each have scored have come on the PP – Gaborik 3G/2A and Del Zotto 3A. Brad Richards is a -3 and has just one assist in five appearances in a Rangers uniform against Buffalo.
Henrik Lundqvist is around his career averages vs. the Sabres, but has just a 11-9-2 record despite allowing just 2.33 goals against and stopping 92.1 percent of the shots he faces. Martin Biron likes playing against the team he started with though, with a 2-0 record, 1.48 goals against average and impressive 93.5 save percentage.
Of the current roster, Arron Asham, Michael Haley and Roman Hamrlik are yet to face the Sabres in a Rangers uniform, while Callahan and Dan Girardi will face them for the 22nd time, and Lundqvist possibly for the 23rd time.
CAR
PIT
CBJ