Montreal, Quebec (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Sabres decided to listen to their head coach after they got down 3-0 in the first period to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, and it cost them another game.
Coming into the game, the Sabres were 0-3-0 this season against the Habs, because Montreal was 6-of-16 on the power play against them. That’s 16 power plays that they gave them in three games.
Of course Lindy Ruff warned his group that they must be disciplined, because if they can play most of the game at 5-on-5, they have a good chance to win.
The team went out and may have played the dumbest period I’ve seen them play all season.
The Sabres took five penalties, all richly deserved, and gave Montreal four power play opportunities. And I don’t think you’ll be surprised to hear Montreal scored two power play goals, and finished the season series against Buffalo by going 8-for-21 with the extra man.
Not only did that happen, but a Dylan Cozens turnover on the wall sent Mike Matheson away on a shorthanded 2-on-1 with Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki. Suzuki was able to take a pass from Matheson in the left circle, and beat Sabres goalie James Reimer on the glove side with a shot that he’d want back.
Suzuki had a goal and three assists in the game, giving him three goals and eight assists for 11 points in four games against the Sabres this year.
It took Montreal four minutes to score three goals.
The Sabres decided to listen to Ruff to start the second period, and pretty much dominated the last 40 minutes of play. They didn’t take another penalty until captain Rasmus Dahlin took another dumb penalty at 14:42 of the third period. It was his third penalty of the game.
Playing mostly in the offensive zone, the Sabres chipped away at the lead.
Late in the second, Cozens took the puck to the net, and Alex Tuch converted his rebound to make it 3-1, Montreal.
Early in the third period, JJ Peterka set Tage Thompson up at the top of the left circle for an absolute bomb, and it was suddenly a 3-2 contest.
Buffalo did kill off the third period Dahlin penalty, and the captain made up for it with Reimer pulled for the extra attacker. Dahlin jumped into the left circle, and beat Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault to the far side, as he didn’t challenge Dahlin and stayed back in his net.
In the final two periods, the Sabres outshot the Canadiens, 27-11.
In overtime, Buffalo did get some good possession time, but didn’t challenge Montembeault.
Matheson then got the puck and came down the right side on a 2-on-1 rush. He was able to beat Reimer with an innocent shot that Reimer absolutely has to stop.
Buffalo proved once again that when the team plays the game Ruff wants the group to play, they’re a good team.
In this game, both Dahlin and Peterka had six shots on goal, while Thompson had five. Cozens had six hits, as he continues to be physical to win battles.
The line that I thought was very noticeable was Peyton Krebs between Beck Malenstyn and Sam Lafferty. They played pretty much the whole night in the offensive zone. After a while, the Montreal defensemen were looking over their shoulders to see if they were going to get hit by the forechecking forwards.
After the game, Ruff thought Monday was the best he’s seen Lafferty play.
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The Sabres are right back at it on Tuesday when the San Jose Sharks come to town.
The last time these two teams played in San Jose on Nov. 23, the Sabres won and jumped into third place in the Atlantic Division standings. In that game, the Sabres got third period goals from Cozens, Tuch and Dahlin to win it.
Following that win, Buffalo’s season then crumbled with a 13-game winless streak.
Buffalo comes into Tuesday’s game on its first three-game losing streak since Jan. 4. Buffalo has won five-in-a-row against the Sharks.
Alex Tuch has goals in four-straight games. He has seven goals and five assists for 12 points in his last seven games.
I expect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal for Buffalo on Tuesday. He’s 20-17-4 this year with a 3.01 goals-against average and an .894 save percentage.
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The Sharks broke an eight-game losing streak in Toronto on Monday, winning in a shootout against the Maple Leafs. San Jose had lost 14-of-15 games and 17-of-19 before the contest.
Their .331 points percentage this year is worst in the NHL, while Buffalo is 29th.
San Jose has the worst goals-against average in the NHL at 3.68, and they’re 29th in goal scoring at 2.56.
Since Alexander Georgiev played in Toronto, I would expect Vitek Vanecek to be in goal for the Sharks on Tuesday. He’s 3-10-3 this season with a 3.88 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage.
The first overall pick in the NHL Draft this past June was Macklin Celebrini. He’s the Sharks' leading scorer with 18 goals and 26 assists for 44 points in 50 games.
Meanwhile, winger Tyler Toffoli leads the team with 23 goals.
Tune in during “Schopp and the Bulldog” for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m., where you’ll hear from Ruff.