Kreider lifts Rangers past Sabres in OT

Chris Kreider scored at 2:28 of overtime, giving the New York Rangers a 4-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday.

Mika Zibanejad carried the puck below the goal line and drew Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen out of the crease before sending a backhand pass from behind the net to Kreider in front for a tap-in.

“[Zibanejad] pump-faked every single person in the building and used me as a backboard,” Kreider said. 

The Sabres forced overtime when Casey Mittelstadt tied it 3-3 at 6:50 of the third period, pushing in his own rebound past Igor Shesterkin’s right pad.

“It’s a crazy atmosphere and it’s a tough building to play in,” Mittelstadt said. “Obviously would have liked to get the extra point there, but I thought we played really well. … I thought we did a good job and obviously to be down in the third and get a point, is huge.”

Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, Kreider had an assist, and Shesterkin made 27 saves for the Rangers (23-8-1), who have won five of their past seven games.

“There was a lot to like about tonight, the way we played the game,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “Especially coming off of last night (a 4-3 loss at home to the Edmonton Oilers), too. To put that to bed and then to wake up and play the way we did, the right mindset right from the start, was really good.”

Rasmus Dahlin and Jack Quinn scored, and Jordan Greenway had two assists for the Sabres (14-17-4). Luukkonen made 29 saves.

“[There’s] a lot more playing for the pure love of the game and enjoy the game, the energy, that appetite,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “You know there's more for you and going after it. No question, the last couple of games have been much, much better and I feel very confident that this group is headed [in] the right direction.”

Ryan Lindgren gave New York a 1-0 lead at 7:19 of the first period, sending a shot from the blue line past a screened Luukkonen.

Artemi Panarin made it 2-0 on the power play at 15:35, scoring from just above the right face-off circle.

Dahlin cut it to 2-1 from the slot at 16:37 when he one-timed a pass from Greenway, who was pinned along the end boards in a battle with Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider.

Quinn tied it 2-2 at 1:42 of the second period, taking a pass from Dylan Cozens inside the blue line and carrying it to the slot, where he scored with a wrist shot.

Zibanejad put New York in front 3-2 at 7:13. Luukkonen made the save on Kreider’s shot from the slot, and Zibanejad batted the rebound out of midair on his backhand from the side of the net.

“Mika, he was incredible out there tonight,” Laviolette said. “The way he drove through the neutral zone, attacked the game, constantly attacked the game. The whole line. It was really good.”

NOTES: Dahlin became the first defenseman this season to reach 10 goals. It’s the third straight season he’s reached the mark, tying John Van Boxmeer (1979-82) and Jerry Korab (1974-77) for the second-longest such streak in Buffalo history, behind Phil Housley (eight; 1982-90). … Dahlin’s goal was the 56th of his NHL career, passing Alexei Zhitnik for sole possession of fourth among defensemen in Sabres history. … Kreider scored his 41st game-winning goal, tying Mark Messier for the fourth-most in Rangers history, after Rod Gilbert (52), Jean Ratelle (46) and Bill Cook (42). Kreider also tied Adam Graves for 10th on the New York points list (507; 282 goals, 225 assists). … Zibanejad has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in a seven-game point streak. … Panarin played his 300th game with the Rangers. He has 385 points (118 goals, 267 assists), the most by a player through that many games with them.