As Henrik Lundqvist explained, what hung in the balance was more than just the two points. There were memories at stake.
Now, after a 3-2 overtime win over the Sabres in the 10th annual Winter Classic, outdoors at Citi Field on Monday afternoon, the Rangers and their franchise netminder get to keep their outdoor record in four games unsullied — and the same can be said for those memories.
“You don’t play that many times outside, so every game means a lot to you,” said Lundqvist, victorious in the 2012 Winter Classic in Philadelphia as well as the two Stadium Series game at Yankee Stadium in 2014.
“You want to make the most of it. It’s Game [39] for us, but when you’re playing this game, this is it. It’s the only one. You want to make sure you get the two points, want to make sure you can be able to sit down in a week, or this summer, and look back on this as a great memory — yesterday, today — you need to win. And we did.”
It came in dramatic fashion yet again, with J.T. Miller scoring a power-play goal 2:43 into overtime, banging in a loose puck in front after a Kevin Shattenkirk point shot, while the tripping penalty on Buffalo forward Jacob Josefson during the three-on-three extra period remained as the one mistake the turned the tide.
“Playing a game like this, this is just one game — so it’s kind of like playing world championships, or Olympics, or even a Game 7,” Lundqvist said. “One mistake can cost you the game and the memory of it, as well.”
Miller was ecstatic as he jumped against the boards in the corner, mobbed by his teammates while pyrotechnic displays went aflame from every which direction of the Mets’ sprawling ball field. The fans rejoiced, as well, having suffered through the temperatures that peaked at 20.5 degrees for puck drop and plummeted as the shadows grew longer and the sharp gusts ripped through the already blustery Flushing wind tunnel.
“I had [outdoor] ice as a kid, and how choppy it was, it brings back memories,” Miller said. “You have to learn to play that, make the game simple, north-south.”
That’s how the Rangers (21-13-5) started the game, doing their best to avoid the glare off the ice by making simple plays. It resulted in a 1-0 lead just 4:09 in when late-addition-to-the-lineup Jesper Fast fed Paul Carey, who beat Robin Lehner for his fifth of the season. The lead extended to 2-0 when Michael Grabner got his team-leading 18th after a great feed from Kevin Hayes.
“We knew we had to be ready and be on our ‘A’ game,” Miller said. “I thought we had a really good start.”
But as it got colder, the Rangers stopped moving their feet, started taking penalties, and the last-place Sabres (10-20-9) were able to claw their way back. Their first score came on a power-play goal from Sam Reinhart just 56 seconds into the second period, and the game-tying goal came just 27 seconds into the third, a seeing-eye wrister from the point by defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
That is when things started to get tense. Those remaining from the crowd of 41,821 began chanting for the Blueshirts, despite the counterintuitive fact that they were the away team with every single one of the home-team amenities — including the Mets clubhouse and the overwhelming majority of the fans.
When it went to three-on-three, with the clouds gathering overhead, it sure looked like pond hockey.
“The same thing that I was doing as a kid, skating outside, the fans that came to watch were skating outside as kids,” Shattenkirk said. “That connection is something that everyone shares and loves about the hockey game.”
And because of Miller’s late heroics, the connection to this game is with a win.
“It’s just a fun experience to be part of, something you don’t take for granted,” Lundqvist said. “We also discussed it in the room. You’re not going enjoy this and look back on it as a great memory unless you win this game.”