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Buffalo, NY • United States • 23 Years Old • Male
If there was one player who you would have predicted to score a hat trick tonight, Derek Stepan may have been the last choice.

In his first career NHL game, Stepan scored three times on Ryan Miller, leading the Rangers to a 6-3 victory over Buffalo on Saturday night at HSBC arena. Stepan became the fourth player in NHL history to score a hat trick in his first career game.

The Rangers scored early and often, taking control of the game and spoiling Buffalo’s home opener. “We weren’t working,” Tyler Myers said. ”We had moments, but as a team we didnt come to play.”

Jordan Leopold finished the night with three points (2G, 1A), and was perhaps Buffalo’s best player of the night.

Late in the first, after Myers lost an edge behind his own net, the Rangers capitalized and went up 2-0. Brandon Dubinsky tipped in an easy goal, quieting the crowd at HSBC arena.


Myers didn’t have any help from the forwards, though. He did lose the puck, but there was no backup and almost no chance for Miller to make the save.

After winning a faceoff, Patrick Kaleta passed the puck to Jordan Leopold for a one-timer. Leopold fired it past Lundqvist and the Sabres got on the board.

The Sabres finally looked alive and were playing their best hockey of the night, but the Rangers gained their two goal lead back again. Stefan scored his second goal of the night.

The Rangers kept pouring it on in the third period. Erik Christensen was left all alone in front of the net, scoring the fifth goal of the night for New York.

Stefan completed the hat trick with a goal towards the end of the second period, putting his team up by three. He became the fourth player in NHL history to score a hat trick in his first career game.

With a minute and a half to go in the third, the Rangers took a penalty, allowing Buffalo one final chance for two quick goals, with Miller pulled. The plan quickly back-fired as Dubinsky received a breakaway pass off the faceoff, putting the game away.

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Filed Under:   Buffalo   Rangers   Stepan   Miller   Leopold  
October 9, 2010 10:46 PM ET | Delete
I think Boogard would have been your last choice to get a Hat Trick. lol
October 10, 2010 1:54 PM ET | Delete
HEY! boggie man is worth every penny of his 1.65 million dollar contract...... well maybe not, i think he has 4 or six goals in his entire career. so hat trick would be AMAZING! Awesome win for the rangers.
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