Rangers shut out Sabres in Buffalo, bounce back for first win of season

BUFFALO — Just when it seemed as if No. 1 center J.T. Miller was starting to shake off whatever rust or soreness he was dealing with in Tuesday’s season opener, the Rangers now have to deal with an injury to No. 2 center Vincent Trocheck.

Trocheck, who already was playing with a full face shield after getting hit in the nose with a puck during training camp, left Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center with what the Rangers said was an upper-body injury.

The Rangers managed to win the game without him, 4-0, as Igor Shesterkin made 37 saves and Alexis Lafreniere, Carson Soucy, Miller and Adam Fox scored goals. If Trocheck ends up missing significant time, though, this will have been a costly victory.

Coach Mike Sullivan didn’t have any news about Trocheck after the game. “No, he’s being evaluated for an upper-body injury right now,’’ he said. “I don’t have anything else for you.’’

The loss of Trocheck aside, at least the Rangers got their first victory of the season and Sullivan got his first win as their coach. “It’s humbling,’’ he said. “It’s an incredible honor to be the head coach of the New York Rangers, a franchise that has such history to it. For me, it’s just a privilege that I don’t take for granted.

“To get the first win, it means a lot to me. J.T. gave me the game puck, which was nice. He made a joke about how long our video meetings are. They’ll continue to be long until we get on the right page.’’

The Rangers looked as if they were on the right page early in this one. They dominated the first 13 1⁄2 minutes of the first period, outshooting Buffalo 14-4 and taking the lead on Lafreniere’s goal at 11:43. He dug the puck out of traffic after a shot by Artemi Panarin and tucked it behind Buffalo goalie Alex Lyon.

“After last game [a 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday], we should have probably better start, right?’’ Lafreniere said. “J.T.’s line had a great start, and then we just had to follow that really and try to keep it simple. And we did. And that worked.’’

Buffalo pushed back, though, in the last 6 1⁄2 minutes of the first period and all of the second, when, aided by three power plays and with the Rangers scrambling to cover up after Trocheck left, the Sabres outshot the visitors 14-5. But Shesterkin frustrated Buffalo,

earning his 22nd career shutout.

“Athleticism, positioning, just kind of most of the traits that it takes to be a good goalie, he’s got them,’’ Soucy said. “He’s big for us when they had their push, for sure.’’

Sullivan, who had to deal with less than stellar goaltending during his last few years as the Penguins’ coach, seemed greatly appreciative of what Shesterkin was able to do when the Rangers needed him.

“It sure is nice,’’ he said. “I mean, he’s a world-class goalie, you know? He’s one of the very best. And when you get timely saves like he gives you — and he makes really hard saves look routine sometimes — and we certainly don’t take that for granted either. He was terrific tonight. He was terrific the other night also [stopping 28 of 29 against the Penguins].’’

With the 1-0 lead intact after two periods, the Rangers were able to close it out in the third. Soucy scored his second goal as a Ranger when he skated down to the left circle and scored on a wrist shot. “You don’t get many looks, kind of, from the slot like that, so just trying to make a good placement shot,’’ he said.

Miller made it 3-0 when he deflected Braden Schneider’s shot at 17:11. Fox added an empty-netter from deep in his own zone at 17:25.

Notes & quotes: The Rangers dressed the same lineup as Tuesday, meaning Jonny Brodzinski, Juuso Parssinen and defenseman Matthew Robertson were the scratches.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.