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Posted at 1:30 PM EST.

7:05 PM EST. OT included. The Rangers are a .500 team while the Sabres are seven games over .500 but the only difference is that Linus Ullmark has caught fire while neither one of the Rangers two goaltenders have providing anything. On their worst day, the Rangers can compete with Buffalo and now the Rangers get to play the enjoyable role of spoiler against their in-state rivals.

Other than a 56 shot against onslaught by the juggernaut Maple Leafs, the Rangers have held seven of their last 10 opponents to 30 shots or less, including holding the Bolts to 23, the Flyers to 19 and the Devils to 23. We have been praising the undervalued Rags all year but there is also something to be said about the almost joyous mood surrounding the Rangers as they get deeper and deeper into a tumultuous time in the course of this season, if not the course of the rebuilding of the roster.

With the Feb. 25 trade deadline rapidly approaching, and with lineup stalwarts Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello leading the way of players who very well could be dealt, the team practiced Thursday with an unexpected jump in its collective step. “I loved our energy today, I loved our mood today,” coach David Quinn said. “I loved our work ethic, balanced with having fun. That was probably as energetic a practice as we’ve had in a long time.” The Rags may not be dealing anyone and they also have one of the league’s hottest lines going. Mats Zuccarello has cleared his head after a conversation with management just over a month ago. His line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider is on fire but that’s not all the Rags have. This is a balanced and dangerous team that has plenty of value. Keep your eye on Filip Chytil too, That kid is a great looking rookie that is seventh on the team in shot attempts, fifth in individual scoring chances, and tied for second with 63 high danger attempts.

Meanwhile, the Sabres will play the last game of a long seven-game homestand. We cannot overemphasize how disadvantageous that can be. Players cannot wait to hit the road after being home for so long. Being the last game of said homestand likely means that Buffalo’s focus will be off. The Sabres will hit the road for a game in New Jersey on Sunday but then it’s out of the frigid cold of the East Coast and into sunny Florida for games against the Panthers and Bolts. Did we mention that Buffalo hasn’t won two games in a row in since mid-December? We like the Sabres but they are better suited as the underdog while remaining a massive risk as the chalk priced in this range.

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