Montreal, Quebec (WGR Sports Radio 550) - It was another wildly miserable night at the rink for the Buffalo Sabres. Visiting the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, the blue and gold lost 6-1 to run the winless streak to 11 games.
Montreal wasted no time getting out to a 1-0 lead, and get some help with a lucky bounce just 19 seconds into the affair. After a shot from forward Jake Evans bounced off the back boards, the puck hit the skate of the official behind the net, and favorably bounced to forward Joel Armia for the opening goal.
Minutes later, it looked as though the Canadiens doubled the Sabres' deficit to 2-0 when forward Patrik Laine wired a goal behind Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. However, after review, it was determined the puck rang off the post and never crossed the goal line.
Laine got his shortly thereafter anyway, and it was just the beginning of a memorable night for the Finnish winger.
With Zach Benson in the penalty box at the 6:06 mark of the first period, it only took 20 seconds into the man advantage chance for Laine to fire his fourth goal of season past Luukkonen.
Montreal controlled the majority of the first period, outshooting the Sabres, 11-3, and out-chancing Buffalo, 26-16.
The Sabres got on the board 3:43 into the second period. Dylan Cozens busted a play up at his blue line, and on the ensuing turnover, crept down the slot and deposited his seventh goal in behind Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault.
The 2-1 deficit was short-lived for Buffalo, though.
A little over two minutes later, Montreal forward Juraj Slafkovsky netted his third goal of the season to bring the Canadiens' advantage back to two goals.
The rest of the second period was the "Patrik Laine Show" in Montreal, as he completed his 11th-career hat-trick. The sniper rattled off two more power play goals to complete the trifecta against a hapless Buffalo penalty-killing unit.
Not to be out-shined, forward Josh Anderson added another goal for good measure before frame's end to boost the Canadiens' two-period advantage to 6-1 over the Sabres.
To begin the third period, the Sabres threw James Reimer out in net for the final 20 minutes, ending Luukkonen's evening after just 15 saves on 21 shots faced.
However, that five-goal margin stood in the end, as the Canadiens held off any final push the Sabres could muster.
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SCORING RECAP
First Period:
BUF: NONE
MTL: 0:19 - Joel Armia (5) (Jake Evans, Emil Heineman); 6:26 - Patrik Laine (4) PPG (Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky)
Second Period:
BUF: 3:43 - Dylan Cozens (7) (JJ Peterka, Owen Power)
MTL: 5:54 - Juraj Slafkosvky (3) (Cole Caufield, David Savard); 9:45 - Patrik Laine (5) PPG (Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson); 10:55 - Patrik Laine (6) PPG (Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson); 19:15 - Josh Anderson (6) (Christan Dvorak, Brendan Gallagher)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
MTL: NONE
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Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Patrik Laine - MTL
2.) Juraj Slafkovsky - MTL
3.) Josh Anderson - MTL
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What's Next:
The Sabres return home to get another look at the Maple Leafs on Friday night after Toronto beat Buffalo this past Sunday, 5-3. Puck drop at KeyBank Center is slated for 7 p.m. EST with Dan Dunleavy and Rob Ray on the call.