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Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens

FinalTV MSG-B, SN·Centre Bell

Recap

written from the game data

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Montréal Canadiens 3-2. The Canadiens scored first; the Sabres answered. The Sabres led 3-2 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Alex Tuch's goal at 18:08 of the second period, which took the Sabres' chances from 45% to 68%. Expected goals favored the Canadiens, 2.6 to 2.3; shots on goal were BUF 23, MTL 31. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Canadiens win a replay of these chances 55% of the time. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 29 of 31 (.935), 0.6 goals saved above expected; Samuel Montembeault stopped 20 of 23 (.870), 0.7 goals below expected. Three stars: 1. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (29 saves, .935), 2. Joshua Roy (2 A), 3. Arber Xhekaj (1 G).

Three stars

  1. ★
    BUF
    U. Luukkonen29 saves, .935
  2. ★★
    MTL
    J. Roy2 A
  3. ★★★
    MTL
    A. Xhekaj1 G

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
BUFBUF0831104323
MTLMTL19111011231

Scoring

5 goals

1st period

  1. MTL
    J. Roy (3), D. Savard (9)
    slapxG 0.04win prob +14 ptsVideo
    0-1
    12:41

2nd period

  1. BUF
    tip-inxG 0.06win prob +17 ptsVideo
    1-1
    4:20
  2. MTL
    wristxG 0.02win prob +17 ptsVideo
    1-2
    6:35
  3. BUF
    J. Skinner(18)PPG
    wristxG 0.27win prob +14 ptsVideo
    2-2
    9:28
  4. BUF
    A. Tuch(16)SHG
    Unassisted
    wristxG 0.18win prob +23 ptsVideo
    3-2
    18:08

Penalties

BUF 10 PIM·MTL 10 PIM

1st

  • 4:10BUFCasey Mittelstadt · Trippingdrawn by Brendan Gallagher2 min
  • 5:26MTLMike Matheson · Boardingdrawn by Zach Benson2 min
  • 5:26BUFJordan Greenway · Roughingdrawn by Josh Anderson2 min
  • 5:26MTLJosh Anderson · Roughingdrawn by Jordan Greenway2 min
  • 17:10BUFHenri Jokiharju · Slashingdrawn by Joel Armia2 min

2nd

  • 8:40MTLJuraj Slafkovský · Holdingdrawn by Zemgus Girgensons2 min
  • 12:11MTLJuraj Slafkovský · Holdingdrawn by Rasmus Dahlin2 min
  • 16:56BUFTage Thompson · Trippingdrawn by Nick Suzuki2 min

3rd

  • 18:26BUFTage Thompson · Slashingdrawn by Alex Newhook2 min
  • 19:34MTLJuraj Slafkovský · Hookingdrawn by Dylan Cozens2 min

Win probability

ours · the whole game
Tap or hover the chart for the moment-by-moment number
MTL goalBUF goalFinal: MTL 0%

Biggest swing: Alex Tuch, 2nd 18:08 — BUF 45% → 68%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
J. Roy · Missed · xG 0.28C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.17C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.15J. Roy · On goal · xG 0.15J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.14N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.11N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.10A. Newhook · Missed · xG 0.08J. Slafkovský · On goal · xG 0.08J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.08A. Newhook · Missed · xG 0.07J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.07N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.07M. Matheson · Missed · xG 0.07M. Matheson · Missed · xG 0.06J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.06N. Suzuki · Missed · xG 0.06J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.05B. Gallagher · On goal · xG 0.05B. Gallagher · Missed · xG 0.05J. Slafkovský · Missed · xG 0.05M. Matheson · On goal · xG 0.05C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.05C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.04M. Matheson · On goal · xG 0.04A. Xhekaj · Goal · xG 0.03J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.03C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.03A. Xhekaj · On goal · xG 0.03J. Roy · Missed · xG 0.03D. Savard · On goal · xG 0.02K. Guhle · On goal · xG 0.02A. Xhekaj · On goal · xG 0.02M. Matheson · On goal · xG 0.02J. Struble · Goal · xG 0.02N. Suzuki · Missed · xG 0.01D. Savard · Missed · xG 0.01J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.01K. Guhle · Missed · xG 0.01J. Slafkovský · Missed · xG 0.01J. Armia · Missed · xG 0.01N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.01J. Anderson · Missed · xG 0.01J. Roy · Missed · xG 0.01D. Savard · Missed · xG 0.01N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.01J. Roy · Missed · xG 0.01A. Xhekaj · On goal · xG 0.01J. Evans · Missed · xG 0.01J. Struble · Missed · xG 0.00M. Matheson · On goal · xG 0.00
MTL2 G · 2.6 xG · 51 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

BUFvsMTL
2.33 G
All situations
2 G2.6
1.41 G
Even strength
2 G1.8
0.61 G
Power play
0 G0.7
0.21 G
Shorthanded
0 G0.0

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 80 unblocked attempts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
BUF45%55%MTL

Flurry-adjusted xG 2.25 – 2.51

How often each side wins a replay of these chances with league-average goaltending at both ends. Rebounds in a flurry are counted once, so a scramble is not three chances.

Team stats

BUFvsMTL
23
Shots on goal
31
35%
Faceoffs
65%
1/3
Power play
0/4
10
Penalty minutes
10
21
Hits
16
15
Blocked shots
19
9
Giveaways
12
9
Takeaways
9

Box score

every player line
Buffalo Sabres skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
26R. DahlinD011+110.05120—29:10
10H. JokiharjuD011+100.00142—22:47
12J. GreenwayL000-110.02202—19:04
24D. CozensC011-120.162003318:43
89A. TuchR101+120.19120—18:14
78J. BrysonD000010.02110—17:55
72T. ThompsonC011040.470044417:47
75C. CliftonD000010.02110—17:35
6E. JohnsonD000-110.01510—17:05
53J. SkinnerL101030.45000—17:02
9Z. BensonL000000.00100—14:19
77J. PeterkaR000-120.31000—13:44
37C. MittelstadtC000-110.141024412:45
19P. KrebsC000-100.002105011:54
38K. ClagueD000-100.00000—11:53
21K. OkposoR000+110.09230—11:29
28Z. GirgensonsC101+110.100002011:24
50E. RobinsonL000+120.23100—09:36
Buffalo Sabres goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
1U. Luukkonen(W)31292.9352.55+0.5560:00

Season series

Data: NHL. Model: Gridpex (expected goals and win probability built on NHL play-by-play).