Rangers Blank Sabres 4–0 in Season Opener

The Buffalo Sabres opened the 2025–26 season on home ice Thursday night in front of a loud, near sellout crowd at KeyBank Center. But when the final horn sounded, it was the visiting New York Rangers celebrating. Behind a rock-solid performance from Igor Shesterkin, New York took advantage of its chances and handed Buffalo a 4–0 loss to start the season.

The Rangers came in looking to bounce back from an opening-night shutout against Pittsburgh, while this was Buffalo’s first game of the year. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen remained sidelined with no clear timeline, so veteran Alex Lyon got the nod in net.

Lyon has spent most of his career bouncing between the AHL and NHL, carving out opportunities with Philadelphia, Carolina, and Detroit. Buffalo hoped its upgraded defense could help ease him in, and the energy inside KeyBank Center reflected a fan base eager to see that hope turn into progress. The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since 2011, and there was a familiar hopeful buzz as the puck dropped.

First Period: Buffalo Comes Out Flat

Lyon was tested immediately, flashing the glove just 10 seconds into the game. Both teams looked a little rusty early, but the Rangers carried the play, hemming Buffalo in its own zone for long stretches.

The Sabres killed off an early penalty thanks to strong work from Justin Danforth, but their struggles breaking out of the zone eventually cost them. Alexis Lafrenière buried a loose puck at the net to give New York a 1–0 lead. Buffalo’s best chance came late in the frame on a look from McLeod, but they couldn’t tie it. The Rangers took a 1–0 lead to the locker room, outshooting Buffalo 16–11. Lyon’s steady play kept it close.

Second Period: Power Play Woes Add Up

Buffalo came out with more jump in the second and immediately went to work on the power play. They generated a few good looks but couldn’t crack Shesterkin. A second man advantage produced more of the same—Tage Thompson fired a handful of dangerous one-timers, but New York’s goalie was dialed in.

The game got chippy midway through when Braden Schneider and Jason Zucker nearly dropped the gloves, earning matching roughing minors. In the 4-on-4 stretch, Alex Tuch had perhaps Buffalo’s best chance of the night, but Shesterkin sprawled out with his paddle to rob him blind.

Buffalo finished the period outshooting New York 13–5 and controlling much of the play. Still, they went to the second intermission down 1–0, with missed opportunities piling up.

Third Period: Collapse at the End

An early high-sticking call on Thompson put Buffalo on the penalty kill to start the third, but they killed it off cleanly. Their fourth power play of the night came midway through the period and ended up being their sloppiest—zone entries broke down and turnovers killed any momentum.

Lyon continued to give Buffalo a chance, holding the deficit at one deep into the third. But with just over five minutes left, Matt Rempe buried a rebound to make it 2–0. J.T. Miller added a slapshot goal moments later, and an empty-netter sealed the 4–0 final.

To make matters worse, Josh Norris left the game late with an undisclosed injury. There was no immediate update postgame.

Key Takeaways

• Power Play Problems – Buffalo went 0-for-4 on the man advantage. It was an issue last season, and it popped up again right away. Thompson and Tuch had the best looks but couldn’t cash in.
• Lyon Held His Own – The veteran goalkeeper stopped 29 of 32 shots and was one of Buffalo’s bright spots.
• Improved Defense – The penalty kill was a perfect 3-for-3, and the defensive structure looked solid.
• Finishing Touch Missing – The Sabres played better as the game went on but couldn’t solve Shesterkin, who was brilliant.

“We Played a Winning Brand of Hockey”

Despite the result, Alex Lyon struck an optimistic tone afterward.

“I think honestly we played a winning brand of hockey,” Lyon said. “We have 81 more games to play.”

It wasn’t the start Buffalo wanted on the scoreboard, but the effort and defensive commitment were clear. If the Sabres can clean up their special teams and capitalize on their chances, they’ll give themselves a chance to build on Thursdays performance.

What’s Next

Buffalo (0–1–0) heads to Boston on Saturday to face the Bruins, looking to get into the win column. The Rangers (1–1–0) continue their early road swing riding the momentum of their first win.