About Last Night: Caufield’s and Slafkovsky’s struggles carry over to Buffalo
In seven games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1, the Montreal Canadiens never trailed by two goals.
In Game 1 of Round 2 against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens found themselves down two goals, then three, then two again until the final whistle in a 4-2 loss to the Sabres at KeyBank Center on Wednesday.
The Habs outshot the Sabres 28-16, including 11-1 in the third period. Jakub Dobes gave up four goals after not giving up more than three in any game against the Bolts.
It was a rough earlygoing for defenceman Lane Hutson. After taking a penalty in the opening minute, at 4:31, Josh Doan scored the opening goal on a three-on-one after Hutson blew a tire.
At 13:26 of the first, the Habs found themselves down two for the first time in this postseason when Ryan McLeod capitalized on the power play. It was one of two power play goals by the Sabres on the night. Zach Benson got his second assist. While the Lightning power play sputtered, the Sabres punished the Habs for hitting the sin bin.
Montreal responded with a power play goal of their own before the end of the first period. After going goalless in his first six playoff games, Selke nominee Nick Suzuki now has two in his last two. Juraj Slafkovsky drew an assist, but is still looking for his first point at five-on-five. Calder Trophy finalist Ivan Demidov had the other.
Earlier in the game, forward Jordan Greenway towered over Cole Caufield. The 6-foot-6 plugger isn’t known for his offence, but he effectively used Alexandre Carrier as a screen to beat Dobes for a 3-1 lead in the second period.
Before the halfway point of the game, the Canadiens went down three on the second power-play goal of the night by the Sabres, this time scored by Bowen Byram.
Like in the first period, the Canadiens cut Buffalo’s lead late in the second to provide a glimmer of hope before returning to the dressing room. With 3:29 left in the middle frame, Kirby Dach beat Alex Lyon on an acrobatic second effort to narrow the gap.
The Canadiens fired 11 shots at Lyon in the third, but nothing crossed the goal line. The top line had a little more room compared to the Tampa series, but the results were the same: zero points at even strength. The trio combined for nine shots, but only two for the snakebitten Cole Caufield, who seemed to bring his first-round baggage to Game 1 of Round 2.
Montreal was in unfamiliar territory against the Sabres compared to the Tampa series. The Habs trailed more through two periods against the Sabres than all seven games combined against the Bolts.
The liveblog commenters on the Hockey Inside Out livestream said exiting Tampa Bay that the Habs couldn’t win another series if Montreal’s top line continued to slump, and the line failed to open the floodgates against a fresh opponent.
They were happy to the see Arber Xhekaj replace Jayden Struble on defence, even though he only played 7:42.
The Habs outshot and outhit Buffalo, and also won more faceoffs. But they allowed two power-play goals en route to losing the scoreboard battle. Can they find a way to get the offence going again? Lyon has only allowed seven goals in five games since coming in the playoffs.
Here’s what the commenters had to say.
3. Just need one in Buffalo. Dobes couldn't win this one for us … next time.
2. We get 9 shots and win on Sunday, 28 shots tonight and lose, that's hockey for you.
1. Decent effort. Some sloppy D zone coverage earlier was costly. Clean up the PK and get back after it.
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