Game 61: Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In Canada: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Sabres region: MSG Buffalo
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Canadiens continued the high-scoring ways on Saturday in Buffalo that they’ve achieved since the 4 Nations Face-Off, netting at least four for the fourth time in a row in the win. On the very first goal, a power-play marker, all of Nick Suzuki, Patrik Laine, and Cole Caufield ran their points streaks to four games. It wasn’t long until Lane Hutson joined them with an assist, and he added another for good measure. It was highlighted in the preview before the game just how few player had yet to record a point after the break. That list is now down to just Joel Armia and Emil Heineman as 17 active players — that includes Samuel Montembeault — have factored in on the 17 goals scored.
Above-average success on offence is nothing new for Montreal when it plays Buffalo. The team has now scored 17 times in the three games played versus its division rival this year, and they have one more meeting tonight. The Canadiens will be looking not only for their first sweep of a four-game season series since 2018-19 when they accomplished that versus the Detroit Red Wings, but to hold a five-game winning streak as they head out on their Western Canadian road trip.
| Canadiens | Statistics | Sabres |
|---|---|---|
| 29-26-5 | Record | 24-29-5 |
| 48.6% (24th) | Scoring-chances-for % | 48.3% (26th) |
| 2.97 (15th) | Goals per game | 3.17 (12th) |
| 3.32 (27th) | Goals against per game | 3.40 (29th) |
| 21.5% (17th) | PP% | 16.8% (27th) |
| 82.0% (7th) | PK% | 77.1% (19TH) |
| 3-0-0 | Head-to-Head Record | 0-3-0 |
The Sabres were both unlucky not to score more than two goals on Saturday with how many posts they hit and held from getting a lot of truly dangerous chances by Montreal’s defence. They enjoyed a lot of zone time, but they weren’t able to move the puck through the middle of the ice, left to make individual plays looking for offence. Montreal’s superior creativity was on display whenever the game went to four-on-four and there was one less defender to break up the passes they attempted to make.
At just under three goals per game and a place among the top 16 teams in the league, offence hasn’t been an issue for the Habs. Their struggles have come when they get away from sound positional defending, while their long stretches of great results, as they’re enjoying right now, come when they’re committed to the play in their own zone and working as a group in transition. Buffalo was limited to just five high-danger chances, and that’s a winning strategy if the Canadiens can manage it again.
With how the previous game ended, this one isn’t just going to be about offence and defence. The Sabres tried to get themselves back in the contest by landing some big hits, and Montreal answered back. There were scrums after most whistles and some shenanigans near the end of the game. That should be the expected early tone, and Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble will be right at the heart of it once again.
