NHL Moves Rangers, Sabres Start Time Up

The New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres will be on national television in a few weeks.

Nov 7, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) and New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) battle for a loose puck during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images / Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Many don't think of the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres as rivals, but rest assured, the two teams do not like each other. Now, following a surprise schedule change, more people will get to see them face off in a few weeks.

On Thursday, the NHL announced that the game between the Rangers and Sabres at KeyBank Center on Dec. 11 has been moved to 7 p.m. ET, up from its previous 7:30 start time. The game will air nationally on TNT, truTV and Max.

No reason was given for the change, but allow us to speculate. The NHL only has one other game scheduled for that night, with the Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators set to face off at 7:30 p.m. ET. With just two games on the schedule, the league likely wanted to stagger the start times a bit to get more eyes on both of them, and the Rangers' national fanbase likely made the decision a bit easier.

After winning the Presidents' Trophy last year, the Rangers are off to another strong start, currently boasting a 12-4-1 record. They rank eighth in the league standings, but just fourth in a stacked Metropolitan division that has the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils ahead of them. Artemi Panarin is playing very well with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 17 games, while Igor Shesterkin continues to be an excellent backstop.

Meanwhile, the Sabres are desperately trying to end their 13-year playoff drought, the longest in NHL history. A 9-9-1 start has them at fifth in the Atlantic division, but the important part is they haven't placed themselves in too deep of an early hole. Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson are tied for the team lead with 18 points, though the latter has played three fewer games.

This will be the second meeting of the season between these two teams, following the Sabres' 6-1 victory at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 7. They'll meet for the third and final time on Feb. 22 in Buffalo.

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