Time: 05 December, 2009 at 7:00 PM ET
League: NHL – United States of America

Last 10 matches: New York 3-7-0; Buffalo 6-3-1
The Sabres have led the Northeast Division for much of the season, while playing fewer games than their rivals. They’ve won four-straight games and play their next four at home. After the struggling Rangers, the Sabres host the Devils, one point ahead of them in the East, and two division leaders, the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks. Rangers left wing Sean Avery has four points in the past five games. Drury has an assist in three of the four games since returning from a concussion. Prospal has five points in the past six games. Defenseman Marc Staal has a point in his past three games.

Sabres right wing Mike Grier has four points in five games since returning from an upper-leg injury. More importantly, they are 4-1 since his return after going 2-3 without him. The first line of Jochen Hecht, Derek Roy and Jason Pominville has 14 points in the past three games. Roy and Pominville have five points and Hecht has four. Thomas Vanek also has five points in three games. Rookie defenseman Tyler Myers has five assists in four games. Swingman Andrej Sekera has four points in three games since a benching.
The Rangers and the New Jersey Devils are 11-0 when leading after two periods. The Sabres lead the Rangers in most team statistical categories. Buffalo has the second-best penalty kill, the Rangers are sixth. Buffalo is fifth-best in 5-on-5 play, the Rangers 23rd. However, New York is ninth on the power play and Buffalo is 19th. Buffalo is fourth in shots per game, the Rangers 23rd. Buffalo is the fourth-best defensive team, the Rangers are 25th. The Sabres are 12th-best at faceoffs, the Rangers 26th.
This is the first meeting of the season between the intrastate Eastern Conference rivals. Buffalo won three of the four games last season, the Rangers winning the finale on March 21, 5-3. Had Buffalo won that game and swept the series, the teams would have had identical records and the Sabres would have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs instead of the Rangers. Buffalo leads the all-time series with a 67-53-26-3 record. We will post results of this match, as soon as posible.