The hopes of a quick second-round sweep evaporated rapidly on Friday night. The Buffalo Sabres lost Game 2 to the Montreal Canadiens by a decisive 5-1 margin at KeyBank Center. Consequently, this best-of-seven series is now tied at one game apiece as the action shifts north of the border.
A Disastrous Start for Buffalo
Montreal desperately needed a strong start following their opening-game defeat, and they certainly found it. Alex Newhook redirected a Lane Hutson shot past goaltender Alex Lyon just 96 seconds into the first period. This early marker immediately silenced the raucous home crowd.
Furthermore, the Canadiens doubled their advantage less than three minutes later. Following a faceoff win against Ryan McLeod, Mike Matheson fired a point shot through heavy traffic. The puck found its way past a screened Lyon to make it 2-0 before the five-minute mark of the opening period.
Missed Opportunities and a Brief Spark
Buffalo struggled to find their defensive footing as the game progressed. Newhook struck again early in the second period, burying a feed from Jake Evans after a heavy collision at the opposite end of the ice. This pushed the Montreal lead to three goals.
However, the Sabres finally showed signs of life right before the second intermission. Zach Benson deflected a Conor Timmins pass past Montreal rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes with just 37 seconds remaining in the period. Josh Doan also picked up an assist on the play, extending his impressive postseason production to four points over his last two outings.
Third Period Mistakes Seal the Loss
Any momentum generated by Benson’s late tally vanished early in the third period. Sabres center Tage Thompson lost an edge and turned the puck over high in the offensive zone. Alexandre Carrier pounced on the mistake, skating down the ice and beating Lyon with a sharp wrist shot to make it 4-1.
Ultimately, Nick Suzuki added a late empty-net goal to finalize the 5-1 result. Lyon finished the night with 23 saves on 27 shots in his sixth consecutive postseason start. Meanwhile, Dobes was stellar at the other end of the rink, turning aside 27 of the 28 shots Buffalo sent his way.
Looking Ahead to Game 3
The Sabres must now regroup and prepare for a hostile road environment. Game 3 is scheduled for Sunday evening at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., with national television coverage available on ESPN. Buffalo will need to rediscover their offensive rhythm and tighten up defensively to reclaim the series lead.
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