Miller leads Rangers to OT win in Winter Classic

[January 02, 2018]  J.T. Miller scored a power-play goal with 2:17 remaining in overtime to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL Winter Classic on Monday afternoon at Citi Field in New York.

Paul Carey and Michael Grabner each scored during regulation for the Rangers. New York (21-13-5) notched at least one point for the third game in a row and the seventh time in the past eight contests.

Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen scored for Buffalo (10-20-9).

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 31 shots to improve to 18-9-4. Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner made 39 saves but fell to 9-14-6.

Miller stood in front of the crease and punched in the game-winner for his eighth goal of the season. A tripping penalty by Sabres center Jacob Josefson set up the 4-on-3 man advantage for New York.

The teams played under clear skies with occasional sunshine and temperatures in the teens. The wind chill dipped to single digits at the stadium, which is home to the New York Mets.

New York opened the scoring 4:09 into the first period on a wrist shot by Carey. The shot marked the Boston College product's fifth goal of the season and his third in the past six games.

Less than five minutes later, Grabner increased New York's lead to 2-0 with his team-leading 18th goal.

Buffalo trimmed the deficit to 2-1 on the power play in the first minute of the second period. Reinhart beat Lundqvist with a wrist shot for his sixth goal of the season and his first since Nov. 22.

 

Rangers left wing J.T. Miller (10) scores the game-winning goal against Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner (40) during overtime in the 2018 Winter Classic hockey game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Sabres evened the score at 2 on a long wrist shot by Ristolainen only 27 seconds into the third period.

The game marked the 10th anniversary of the NHL Winter Classic, which debuted Jan. 1, 2008, at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium. The lone player on the Sabres' current roster who played in the inaugural New Year's Day event is 35-year-old right winger Jason Pominville, now in his 14th season.

Six baseball stadiums and four football stadiums have hosted the 10 Winter Classic. Next year's game will feature the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.

-- Field Level Media

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