MONTREAL (AP) — In a thrilling match on Monday night, the Montreal Canadiens secured a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, with Mike Matheson scoring the game-winning goal just 1:21 into overtime. Nick Suzuki shined for the Canadiens, contributing a goal and three assists as they clinched their fifth straight win. Despite squandering a 3-0 lead, Montreal showed resilience and determination to come out on top.
The scoring was well-distributed for the Canadiens, with Cole Caufield notching his team-leading 30th goal of the season and Juraj Slafkovsky also finding the back of the net. Notable performances also came from goaltender Sam Montembeault, who made 33 crucial saves to help secure the win. This victory marked Montreal’s second consecutive triumph over the Sabres, following a 4-2 win in Buffalo just days before.
Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin played a pivotal role in the game, scoring the equalizer with only 61 seconds left in regulation. Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson also contributed goals for the Sabres, while James Reimer turned away 16 shots in the losing effort. Unfortunately for Buffalo, this defeat marked their third consecutive loss, leaving them at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
Despite being outshot 36-20, with a significant disparity of 27-11 in shots during the second and third periods, the Canadiens managed to emerge victorious. Montreal capitalized on scoring opportunities and displayed resilience in the face of Buffalo’s offensive pressure.
Looking ahead, the Canadiens’ victory brings them within one point of a wild-card playoff position, while the struggling Sabres face an uphill battle to climb the conference standings. The individual performances of players like Suzuki, who has excelled since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break with an impressive four goals and eight assists in the last five games, have been instrumental in Montreal’s recent success.
Next up on the schedule, the Sabres will host the San Jose Sharks in their quest to bounce back from their recent losses. Meanwhile, the Canadiens are geared up to embark on a challenging four-game road trip, starting with a showdown against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.
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