The Canadiens welcomed the Buffalo Sabres to the Bell Centre on Wednesday night. Jeff Skinner was probably happy to face the Canadiens, having scored 46 points in 41 games against the Tricolore since the start of his career.
Here are the lineups for both teams.
Tonight’s lineup in Montreal.#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/RyHYHrcINV
– Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 21, 2024
Tonight’s lineup.
Tonight’s lineup.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zKNM1CTJeN
– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) February 22, 2024
The Canadiens wasted no time in letting their attack show against the Sabres. The problem was that very few of their shots were actually on target. After 12:40 of play, only three Habs shots had hit the target, while three others were blocked by the defense and seven simply missed.
The fourth shot was the right one. What better way to open the scoring than with a bomb from Arber Xhekaj?
Here’s how Arber draws an X in a box
X-quisite#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/BOsBM9O09d
– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) February 22, 2024
Faced with a confident Jeff Skinner who seems to score goals like he breathes when he faces the Habs, Samuel Montembeault needed some help. Fortunately for him, Mike Matheson came on at the last second and prevented a Skinner goal.
Huge save by Matheson to preserve the Habs lead. pic.twitter.com/Xcufk7zxPD
– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) February 22, 2024
After 20 minutes, the Habs had a 1-0 lead.
The second period was all about goals. Sabres veteran Zemgus Girgensons took advantage of a good shot by teammate Henri Jokiharju to redirect the puck behind Montembeault.
Perfection #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/2czpfgOdSe
– Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 22, 2024
Except the Habs wanted to impress in front of their fans. Jayden Struble scored his third career goal to give the Habs back the lead.
A little gift from Stroobs
STRU-GOAL#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/xrB5xt4GFz
– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) February 22, 2024
It was also his second goal against Buffalo, having foiled Devon Levi on December 9.
It was to be expected, but the Canadiens believed. Jeff Skinner scores
Because OF COURSE#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/WRfwgnFeHp
– Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 22, 2024
It was his 47th point in 42 games against the Canadiens in his career. They are the only team he has scored more than 37 points against in his career.
Arber Xhekaj had one of his best games of the season and even allowed himself a solid body-check to light up the Bell Centre crowd!
Right of way denied
Give us whatever he had for breakfast pls#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/ew82ABC7tA
– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) February 22, 2024
The Canadiens’ power play is producing well these days. However, it was a very tough game for the Habs’ five-man attack, which cashed in on an Alex Tuch goal.
Tuchy earns the short-handed tally #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/R2mU5jDRkf
– Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 22, 2024
After two periods, the Sabres had the lead for the first time in the game, 3-2.
The Canadiens had a mission in the third period: score a goal and prevent the Sabres from scoring another. It all started perfectly for the Tricolore, who allowed no shots on Montembeault’s net in the first 12 minutes of the period.
The Habs’ problem was that they couldn’t get past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
The Habs’ best chance came with less than two minutes to go in the third period, thanks to a power play. All they had to do was break through the Luukkonen wall. Unfortunately, the Canadiens stumbled and once again committed a turnover on the power play, forcing a penalty on Juraj Slafkovsky.
Buffalo won 3-2.
Montreal will be back in action on Thursday against the Penguins in Pittsburgh.
Overtime
– Caufield one goal away from reaching the 20-goal plateau for a third season.
While he went goalless in his most recent outing, Cole Caufield has 8 in 14 games since Jan 13. Going into tonight vs the Sabres, he needs 1 more to reach 20 goals for a 3rd consecutive season. That would tie the 23-year old winger behind just 2 others on this @CanadiensMTL list pic.twitter.com/WEfwXJPJVj
– StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) February 22, 2024
– Happy birthday to Michel Lacroix!
Happy birthday to a colleague and friend of the great RDS family, @M_LacroixRDS @CanadiensMTL pic.twitter.com/kfEpBU0DGk
– RDS (@RDSca) February 22, 2024
– Defensemen are getting involved offensively.
Defencemen have scored 23.4% of the Canadiens goals this season.
That’s the highest percentage among NHL blueliners in the NHL#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/HZxVpWjc53
– Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) February 22, 2024
– A great night for Joshua Roy.
Another pass for Joshua Roy. In his 11th NHL game, he collects two points for the first time.
“The game slowed down in front of me. In fact, it’s not slower, but I see it faster,” he said this morning after practice.– Luc Gelinas (@LucGelinasRDS) February 22, 2024
– Nothing to brag about.
Alex Tuch’s shorthanded goal puts the Habs in first place among NHL teams for goals conceded during a five-goal attack (9).
– Marc Antoine Godin (@MAGodin) February 22, 2024
– Joshua Roy in funny company.
#FunFact: with his 2 assists tonight, #Habs Joshua Roy became the 1st Québec-born player age 20 or younger to record a multi-point game for the #GoHabsGo since Louis Leblanc on Dec. 27, 2011.
– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) February 22, 2024
– Not her best.
Hat-trick of penalties for #Habs Juraj Slafkovský tonight
– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) February 22, 2024