First period
- Juraj Slafkovský has already controlled the puck in the offensive zone on two separate forays. There’s still some work to do in the chemistry department because Cole Caufield was waiting for a drop-pass and Slafkovský decided to rim the puck around to the other side.
- Devon Levi read a cross-zone pass from Mike Matheson to Gustav Lindström perfectly to give no room on the shot.
- A nice passing play started by Josh Anderson requires another save from Levi on Sean Monahan. The pass from Jake Evans was just a bit too slow getting across before Monahan ran out of space.
- It’s a good start for Montreal.
- Buffalo gets a great chance after Matheson falls down at the offensive blue line. Those sudden breaks have been costing the Habs in recent games, but this three-on-one doesn’t result in a shot.
- The Sabres are starting to take over control now. The Matheson fall seems to have dialled back the Canadiens’ attacking instincts.
- With the most possession of the puck, they also draw the game’s first power play.
- A lightning-quick left pad from Primeau keeps Buffalo off the board.
- Three more saves for Primeau as the Habs hand the puck right to nemesis Jeff Skinner.
- The Suzuki line puts an end to all the Sabres pressure when they come out for a long shift in the offensive zone.
- Joel Armia intervenes to prevent Tage Thompson from wrapping the puck around the net. Cayden Primeau gets called for the trip.
- The penalty kill structure fails in spectacular fashion as Buffalo gets its net-front man alone on Primeau one-on-one. The goalie stops the first shot and then a follow-up chance.
- A five-on-three now as Kaiden Guhle tumbled and took out the feet of his man.
- The Canadiens survive the two-man disadvantage, to the delight of the Habs fans in attendance.
- Armia dances through two Sabres defenders on a counter-attack, but can’t complete what would have been a highlight-reel short-handed goal.
- Slafkovský works to get the puck out to Suzuki at the top of the crease who … attempts a touch pass back to Caufield. You just have to shoot that one, Nick.
- A good start, and a bad remainder of that first period results in a 17-7 shot advantage for Buffalo. With this effort they would have been down about 8-0 versus the Kings. There’s just no reason for this extreme game-to-game fluctuation.
- Slafkovský and Primeau both looked great in the opening 20. They need some teammates to join them in the final two periods.
Second period
- The Canadiens announce that Tanner Pearson will not return to the game. Sportsnet shows him blocking a shot with his hand in the first period.
- A better start to the second period as the Canadiens ramp up the intensity. Did the players get graced by another Martin St-Louis speech?
- It eventually results in a power play as Cole Caufield is interfered with by Mattias Samuelsson.
- The power play takes a more brute-force approach with more shooting and less passing. There’s no goal, but they looked good with Jesse Ylönen leading the charge.
- The Canadiens match their first-period shot total in nine minutes of the second period.
- Tage Thompson tries to race in a breakaway, but Jayden Struble catches him, gets his stick between the puck and the net, and forces the big winger to turn back.
- Justin Barron gets run into the boards from behind by Eric Robinson and drops to the ice. Slafkovský, Caufield, and Guhle come to the defence of their teammate as Barron picks himself and makes it to the dressing room dripping blood. This could be a long power play coming out of the commercial break, and more time for Ylönen to shine.
- It is a major for boarding, and a game misconduct, for the recent trade acquisition, but Guhle has a roughing minor, so it’s going to be a delayed three-minute power-play.
- Jayden Struble doesn’t need a power play to score his first NHL goal. He and Johnny Kovacevic launch a surprise attack as the Sabres expected the Canadiens to regroup with the power play about to start, but the two defencemen decided to take matters into their own hands.
- Now on the power play, Nick Suzuki accepts a drop pass to attack the blue line with speed. He decides to keep going right through the defence and scores on what ended up being an end-to-end rush.
- A couple of looks for Buffalo with the power play over, but Primeau has stopped them both, now up to 26 saves.
- Lindström gets called for a hold, even though Thompson is the one clearly latching onto Lindström’s stick.
- Slafkovský is winning nearly every puck battle he enters now. Excellent stick placement and the determination to stick with it once he’s engaged.
- Rasmus Dahlin decides to land an elbow on Guhle as he skates by the Habs defenceman. The play goes uncalled.
- The horn sounds, but the players have no intention of leaving the ice as a scrum breaks out along the boards.
Third period
- Starting periods with the Suzuki line is leading to good chances.
- Struble’s pass gets intercepted in the neutral zone, Jeff Skinner runs a pick to knock Jake Evans to the ice, and the Sabres winger uses all the space that opens up to put the Sabres on the board.
- I was hoping we were going to see Primeau’s first shutout tonight.
- It took Guhle some time to join his teammates for the second. He must have been undergoing concussion protocol after the Dahlin elbow.
- The Canadiens look like they’re killing a penalty here. I wouldn’t mind seeing St-Louis use his timeout to calm everyone down.
- Barron seems completely oblivious to some back pressure and he gets stripped of the puck a few feet from his own net. Kyle Okposo pounces on a rebound to tie the game.
- Now that the Canadiens no longer have a lead, St-Louis uses his timeout.
- Suzuki shows off a little bit of Slafkovský-like play to get around a defenceman and leads a two-on-one with Caufield. The pass gets across, but Caufield ends up putting the puck back toward the middle of the net where Levi can stop it.
- Now Caufield is beginning to show a bit of frustration with his lack of finish. He’s had a number of shots from good areas tonight.
- The Sabres run interference on Christian Dvorak, and this one will be called. Thompson was about to get beaten flatfooted and took Dvorak down.
- Lots of pressure, but no goal, and a couple of misses for Caufield.
- The power play ends, and Slafkovský fights Connor Clifton in a spirited tilt.
- Unfortunately, the Canadiens will now be without his services for the remainder of the third period.
- The fight has really dialled up the physical play here.
- Caufield plays the puck and then gets cross-checked down. I guess that’s allowed now.
- The ref makes a tripping call on Dvorak. Gallagher gets in a kidney shot on Skinner while he’s down on the ice after the trip.
- The Canadiens hang on for a point, but they have another minute of PK time in OT.
Overtime
- The penalty is killed.
- Buffalo still has the puck.
- With no stick, Matheson shoves a Sabre out of the zone, then kicks the puck out.
- The Canadiens didn’t touch the puck much in five minutes of running time, but they get through to a shootout.
- Not exactly the kind of game you want to play with another one tomorrow, but alas.
Shootout
- Primeau has already made 47 saves. May as well go for an even 50.
- He stops the first, from Thompson
- Nick Suzuki comes in. Gets poke-checked. No automatic goal if you don’t get a shot off.
- Victor Olofsson solves Primeau with a deke.
- Cole Caufield tries to break an 0-for-4 run in the shootout.
- He does. Five-hole.
- Owen Power outwaits Primeau to put his team in the driver’s seat.
- Jesse Ylönen has to score to keep it going.
- A great head-fake, and we’ll go to round 4.
- Primeau stops Peterka. The game is on the stick of Slafkovský.
- An excellent move! Came in with speed, jammed on the brakes, and deposited the puck in the net.
- Montreal wins 3-2. Back, once again, to .500.
- Maybe Primeau plays all the road games? He’s a perfect 3-0.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) A very necessary one, it turns out
2) They’re becoming a true top line.
1) A very encouraging game under duress
