MONTREAL – The Buffalo Sabres turned the Atlantic Division semifinals into a best-of-three sprint on Tuesday night, battling back for a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. By evening the series at two games apiece, Buffalo ensured a pivotal Game 5 return to Western New York with momentum firmly on their side.
Birthday Magic and Historic Streaks
The night belonged to Zach Benson, who celebrated his 21st birthday by netting the game-winning goal on a third-period power play. Finding a pass from Josh Doan in front of the net, Benson utilized a slick backhand to beat Montreal’s Jakub Dobes, becoming only the second player in franchise history—joining Peter McNab in 1975—to score a postseason goal on his birthday.
While Benson provided the finish, Doan continued his torrid playmaking stretch. By assisting on the opening goal and Benson’s winner, Doan extended his assist streak to five consecutive playoff games. He is the first Sabres skater to reach that mark since Tim Connolly in 2006, joining an elite list of franchise legends including Gilbert Perreault and Pat LaFontaine.
Lineup Gambles Pay Off
Facing their first series deficit of the spring, head coach Lindy Ruff leaned on fresh faces to provide a spark. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen returned to the crease for the first time since the opening round and stood tall, turning aside 28 of 30 shots.
The Sabres also integrated youth and experience elsewhere:
- Konsta Helenius made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut at center.
- Luke Schenn returned to the blueline for his first action in nearly a month.
- The defensive unit as a whole sacrificed their bodies, totaling 27 blocked shots—the second-highest mark by any team this postseason.
Overcoming a Rollercoaster Start
Buffalo appeared to have a 2-0 lead early in the first when Jack Quinn seemingly converted a rebound. However, after a marathon review process exceeding ten minutes, officials overturned the goal due to goaltender interference by Helenius.
The momentum shift was immediate. Montreal’s Alex Newhook tied the game shortly after, and Cole Caufield gave the Canadiens a lead late in the first period on a power play. Buffalo eventually drew even in the second period thanks to a bizarre “stanchion bounce”; a Tage Thompson dump-in caromed off the corner glass and directly into the net.
Defensive Resilience
The Sabres’ special teams proved to be the difference-maker. Beyond the two power-play goals, the penalty kill unit neutralized six of seven Montreal opportunities, including a critical four-minute double-minor assessed to Bowen Byram that bridged the second and third periods.
Up Next
The series shifts back to KeyBank Center for Game 5 on Thursday night at 7 p.m.. Fans can tune in nationally on TNT and truTV, or listen to the local call on WGR 550.
Goal Summary
- P1 06:32 | BUF: Mattias Samuelsson (3)
- P1 10:08 | MTL: Alex Newhook (6)
- P1 19:47 | MTL: Cole Caufield (3) [PP]
- P2 07:00 | BUF: Tage Thompson (4) [PP]
- P3 04:41 | BUF: Zach Benson (4) [PP]
Team Stats
- Shots: BUF 22 – MTL 30
- Power Play: BUF 2/4 – MTL 1/7
- Blocked Shots: BUF 27 – MTL 6
- Faceoff %: BUF 52.5%
Three Stars of the Game: 1. U. Luukkonen (BUF), 2. M. Samuelsson (BUF), 3. C. Caufield (MTL)
How do you feel about the lineup changes Ruff made for Game 4, and should he stick with Luukkonen for Game 5?
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