The Canadiens scored three second-period goals to build a 5-3 lead in Game 5, eventually beating the Sabres, 6-3, at KeyBank Canter in Buffalo, taking a 3-2 series lead with Game 6 in Montreal on Saturday.
The teams combined to score 5 goals in the game's first 10 minutes, with Buffalo heading to the locker room up 3-2. Josh Anderson knotted it up for the Habs 8:01 into the second and two goals 1:18 apart in the final four minutes of the second quieted the Sabres' home crowd.
The Sabres brought it in the third period, outshooting the Canadiens, 20-3, but Jakub Dobes turned them all aside, making 33 saves on the night. In the other net, Buffalo benched starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who gave up five goals on 23 shots through the first two periods. Alex Lyon, however, proved no better in the third, yielding a power-play goal — Ivan Demidov's first career playoff tally — on one of the three shots he saw.
My take: The Sabres took 20 minutes off, with the series tied at 2-2, and it cost them. Luukkonen was little help. The Habs get credit for taking advantage of theri chances, including a 2-for-2 night on the power play. Now teh Sabres face a must-win game in the Bell Centre. Good luck.
THE ASYLUM
Habs handle Sabres
The Canadiens scored three second-period goals to build a 5-3 lead in Game 5, eventually beating the Sabres, 6-3, at KeyBank Canter in Buffalo, taking a 3-2 series lead with Game 6 in Montreal on Saturday.
The teams combined to score 5 goals in the game's first 10 minutes, with Buffalo heading to the locker room up 3-2. Josh Anderson knotted it up for the Habs 8:01 into the second and two goals 1:18 apart in the final four minutes of the second quieted the Sabres' home crowd.
The Sabres brought it in the third period, outshooting the Canadiens, 20-3, but Jakub Dobes turned them all aside, making 33 saves on the night. In the other net, Buffalo benched starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who gave up five goals on 23 shots through the first two periods. Alex Lyon, however, proved no better in the third, yielding a power-play goal — Ivan Demidov's first career playoff tally — on one of the three shots he saw.
My take: The Sabres took 20 minutes off, with the series tied at 2-2, and it cost them. Luukkonen was little help. The Habs get credit for taking advantage of theri chances, including a 2-for-2 night on the power play. Now teh Sabres face a must-win game in the Bell Centre. Good luck.
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