Final Score: Buffalo 2, NY Rangers 1 (OT)

Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Maxim Afinogenov scored 4:39 into overtime as the Buffalo Sabres downed the New York Rangers, 2-1, to take the lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series at HSBC Arena.

Rangers center Blair Betts was called for hooking in the extra session and the Buffalo power play went to work. Afinogenov took a pass from Jason Pominville and blasted a slap shot from the high slot that beat Henrik Lundqvist through the pads for the win.

"I just tried to shoot the puck, guys were screening the goalie, and it went in," said Afinogenov.

Chris Drury scored late in regulation to tie the game and Ryan Miller made 22 saves for the Sabres, who now hold a 3-2 lead in the best of seven series.

Martin Straka scored the lone goal and Lundqvist made 38 saves for the Rangers, who had won Game's 3 and 4 in New York after dropping the first two games in Buffalo.

"We are not going to win too many games playing a 'B' game," said Rangers coach Tom Renney. "The next time we give an opportunity like this to an opponent the series is over. We know we can play much better, and we look forward to another great challenge."

Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

Late in the third period Straka got the Rangers on the board as he snapped a wrister, using a Buffalo player as a screen, from the top of the left circle that beat Miller on the glove side.

It was initially called no-goal by the on-ice official as the puck hit the camera in the back of the net and came out quickly. However, after a short replay, it was ruled a goal.

The Sabres pulled Miller with under two minutes to play and the move paid off.

After the Rangers iced the puck, Buffalo won a right circle faceoff and set up. Tim Connolly unleashed a one-timer from the top of the left circle through traffic that Lundqvist made the save on. However, the rebound squirted to the left side and Drury banged it in with just 7.7 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.

"Momentum is such a huge thing and to score with seven seconds left, we were pretty happy obviously," said Drury. "We refocused, being on the other side, if you gave it up it's probably harder to bounce back."

Neither team got on the scoreboard in the first period and there was a total of 15 shots, eight from the Rangers.

The best opportunity came about one minute in when Drury blasted a one-timer from the left circle, but Lundqvist used the blocker to knock the shot aside.

Buffalo was all over the Rangers in the second period, but Lundqvist continued his stellar play in the series and stopped a total of 17 shots in the frame and helped to kill off three Buffalo power plays.

Lundqvist's best saves came with a little over two minutes remaining in the frame as he saved a point shot through a screen and then stopped a Daniel Briere rebound chance from point-blank range.

New York managed only six shots on net in the second.

Game Notes

Sabres center Derek Roy turned 24 on Friday...Buffalo went 1-for-6 on the power play while New York failed to score on any of its seven opportunities...Including this series, the Rangers have dropped five straight and seven of their last eight games in Buffalo.