Dahlin scores as Sabres beat Shesterkin, Rangers

NEW YORK (AP) — Rasmus Dahlin scored 26 seconds into the game, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves and the Buffalo Sabres beat Igor Shesterkin and the New York Rangers 6-1 on Thursday night.

Dylan Cozens, Tage Thompson, Jordan Greenway and Sam Lafferty had second-period goals as the Sabres won for the second time in six road games.

Shesterkin was pulled by New York in the second. He allowed five goals on 12 shots.

Zach Benson scored a power-play goal for Buffalo in the third after Rangers forward Will Cuylle spoiled Luukkonen’s shutout bid at 4:21.

Ryan McLeod had two assists as Buffalo scored a season-high six goals.

Shesterkin, who entered with a 6-2-1 record, was replaced by Jonathan Quick after Lafferty’s goal at 13:51. The 28-year-old Russian goaltender won the Vezina Trophy in 2022.

Quick made nine saves in relief.

The Rangers had won three of four.

Takeaways

Sabres: Another good offensive performance. Buffalo was coming off a 5-1 win against Ottawa on Tuesday.

Rangers: Lost in regulation for only the second time in seven home games this season.

Key moment

Luukkonen stopped a point-blank high shot by Mika Zibanejad early in the second period on a Rangers power play. The 25-year-old Finnish goaltender stopped Chris Kreider from the same left circle at 6:31 of the second.

Key stat

Rangers forward Artemi Panarin assisted on Cuylle’s goal. Panarin leads the Rangers with 19 points — including nine goals — and he has points in 11 of New York’s 12 games this season.

Up next

The Sabres host the Calgary Flames on Saturday. The Rangers visit the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl