Can the Canadiens Rebound After a Tough Loss to the Sabres at Bell Centre?
The Montreal Canadiens, with a record of 18-21-9, faced off against the Buffalo Sabres, who came into the game with a 19-18-10 record. In a hard-fought battle at Bell Centre, the final score read 6-1 in favor of the visiting team.
The game began with both teams displaying strong defensive plays, resulting in a scoreless first period. However, as play progressed into the second period, Montreal managed to break through Buffalo's defenses and scored their only goal of the night during a shorthanded situation. This lone goal was an impressive feat given that it was scored on one of their only two shots while being outnumbered on ice.
Despite this momentary lead by Montreal, Buffalo responded aggressively in the second period by netting two goals and followed up with four more in the third. The Sabres' offense proved too much for Montreal's defense and goaltending; they tallied six goals from thirty-eight shots overall. Their powerplay unit capitalized on opportunities scoring twice out of four chances.
Montreal's performance saw them taking thirty-three shots at Buffalo's net but only converting once for a shooting percentage of three percent. They were also awarded three powerplays but failed to capitalize on any of these opportunities despite ten shots taken during these man advantages.
On faceoffs, Montreal showed some dominance winning fifty-four percent overall; however this did not translate into control over puck possession or game outcome. The Canadiens also recorded twenty-six hits throughout the game but gave away possession fourteen times compared to eleven by Buffalo.
Buffalo’s goaltender deserves recognition for his outstanding performance between the pipes making thirty-two saves and finishing with an impeccable save percentage rounding up to one hundred percent which contributed significantly to his team’s victory.
Looking ahead after this tough loss at home, fans can catch their next chance to support The Canadiens as they take on New York Rangers at Bell Centre scheduled for January 7th. This upcoming match will be available for viewing nationally on NHL Network channel 215 and regionally on MSG 2 channel 635-3 starting from midnight Eastern Time.