In New York, was credited with the deciding goal on penalties on Monday night ni a 3-2 win for the Buffalo Sabres over the Rangers.
The Sabres moved four points back of the New York Islanders, with three games remaining on their schedule.
Casey Mittelstadt was credited with the game-winner on penalties.
“Obviously, we’re looking [at the standings],” Mittelstadt said. “It’s a lie if someone says we’re not. We want to know where we stand. We’re going to check that and let’s move on to tomorrow. We’ve got a big one tomorrow.”
The Islanders have one game left.
Buffalo took a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza on a goal from J.J. Peterka .
“The entire situation right now is tremendous for what we need, what our organization needs,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “We need pressure games.”
Devon Levi made 28 saves in the win.
“I’d like to say I’m free-spirited and I definitely feel it [the pressure] but I choose not to focus on it,” Levi said. “Just go out and have fun, stop pucks and let all that stuff kind of take care of itself. I’m just trying to be as good as I can for the guys. They put their heart and soul, their blood, sweat and tears into the whole season to get themselves to this point so the least I can do is help them out a little bit. The guys are awesome and played well today. I just did my job.”
Buffalo moved to 40-32-7.
“We’re not giving up,” Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “There’s a lot of character in the group right now. It’s tough at times, but that’s what it takes. We are aware of the situation and all we can do now is just try to win every game.”
Artemi Panarin scored off the power play in the middle frame to tie the game, 1-1.
Panarin added a second goal to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead coming out of the second period.
The Rangers are one point back of the New Jersey Devils, and three two points back of the Carolina Hurricanes, who lost on Monday to the Ottawa Senators, 3-2.
The Rangers dropped to 47-21-13.
“It’s a battle,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “Fortunately, we’re in a good spot right now. We’ll see what happens in the standings over the next three days, but you look at the battles below us and those teams are battling right now, like Buffalo was tonight.”
Mittelstadt forced extra time, which solved nothing, when he scored at 8:13 of the third to knot the game, 2-2.
“They came out hard, their season is on the line here, but I think we picked it up later on and had some good looks,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “They were spending a little too much time in our offensive zone in the first and they were getting some good chances, but once we got it behind them and got some good looks we stated getting chances off the rush.”
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Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves in the loss.
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