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 After the two teams traded shootout goals, Gomez broke the tie by faking right and tucking the puck just inside the left post past spread-eagled goalie Ryan Miller. Jaromir Jagr and Fedor Tyutin scored in regulation for the Rangers, who improved to 10-0-3 in their past 13 games, and moved into a tie with Ottawa for fifth-place in the Eastern Conference.
New York also inched to within three points of East-leading New Jersey.
Jason Pominville had a goal and assist and Thomas Vanek also scored for Buffalo, which fell to 1-3-2 in its past six games. The Sabres did earn a point, inching to within three points of Philadelphia, which holds the conference's eighth and final playoff spot.
The Rangers overcame a 1-0 deficit, when Pominville scored 16 seconds in, but they also squandered a 2-1 lead, when Vanek tied the game 14 minutes into the second period, deflecting in Pominville's shot from the left point.
New York was playing its second game in two days after a 1-0 shootout win over Boston on Sunday.
Despite being outshot 26-21, and 7-3 in the third period, the Sabres did have the better chances. With 7 minutes left in regulation Vanek checked goalie Henrik Lundqvist off the puck behind the net. The puck went to Buffalo's Drew Stafford, who shot it through the empty crease on a wraparound attempt.
The teams then traded chances in the final minute of overtime. First, Lundqvist stopped Maxim Afinogenov on a wide-open breakaway. The Sabres then got fortunate at the other end when Nigel Dawes, from the left circle, had Miller beaten but snapped a shot off the post.
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In the shootout, Lundqvist stopped the first two shooters he faced, before being beaten by Pominville's snap shot.
New York's Brendan Shanahan opened the shootout with a goal.
The Sabres, already down veteran defenseman Henrik Tallinder (shoulder), lost another, Jaroslav Spacek, who did not return after sustaining what the team called an upper body injury in the first period.
Notes: Rangers D Marek Malik did not play because of what the team termed an upper body injury. ... Sabres RW Steve Bernier, acquired in a trade that sent D Brian Campbell to San Jose two weeks ago, missed his second straight game with a groin injury. ... Jagr's goal was his 41st against Buffalo, tying former Quebec great Peter Stastny for most by any Sabres' opponent.
[Associated Press; By JOHN WAWROW]
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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