Skip to content
Sabres at Canadiens
NHL

Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens

NHL scoreboard
Buffalo Sabres
3
Montréal Canadiens
▸4
Final/OTTV MSG-B, TSN2·Centre Bell

Recap

written from the game data

The Montréal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in overtime, Mike Matheson scoring at 1:21. The Canadiens scored first and never trailed. The Canadiens led 3-1 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Mike Matheson's goal at 1:21 of overtime, which took the Canadiens' chances from 51% to 100%. Expected goals favored the Sabres, 4.7 to 2.9; shots on goal were BUF 36, MTL 20. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Sabres win a replay of these chances 74% of the time. James Reimer stopped 16 of 20 (.800), 1.1 goals below expected; Samuel Montembeault stopped 33 of 36 (.917), 1.7 goals saved above expected. Three stars: 1. Nick Suzuki (1 G, 3 A), 2. Mike Matheson (1 G, 1 A), 3. JJ Peterka (2 A).

Three stars

  1. ★
    MTL
    N. Suzuki1 G, 3 A
  2. ★★
    MTL
    M. Matheson1 G, 1 A
  3. ★★★
    BUF
    J. Peterka2 A

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdOTT
BUFBUF0911421300336
MTLMTL38060511420

Scoring

7 goals

1st period

  1. MTL
    C. Caufield(30)PPG
    N. Suzuki (44), L. Hutson (43)
    snapxG 0.20win prob +10 ptsVideo
    0-1
    9:42
  2. MTL
    N. Suzuki(19)SHG
    M. Matheson (23)
    snapxG 0.14win prob +14 ptsVideo
    0-2
    11:41
  3. MTL
    J. Slafkovský(11)PPG
    N. Suzuki (45), L. Hutson (44)
    snapxG 0.12win prob +8 ptsVideo
    0-3
    13:42

2nd period

  1. BUF
    A. Tuch(23)
    D. Cozens (20), D. Gilbert (5)
    snapxG 0.47win prob +7 ptsVideo
    1-3
    18:07

3rd period

  1. BUF
    T. Thompson(29)
    J. Peterka (29), J. Bryson (6)
    slapxG 0.02win prob +15 ptsVideo
    2-3
    3:24
  2. BUF
    R. Dahlin(10)
    J. Peterka (30), J.Kulich (7)
    snapxG 0.05win prob +42 ptsVideo
    3-3
    18:59

Overtime

  1. MTL
    M. Matheson(5)
    J. Slafkovský (24), N. Suzuki (46)
    snapxG 0.07win prob +49 ptsVideo
    3-4
    1:21

Penalties

BUF 12 PIM·MTL 10 PIM

1st

  • 1:57BUFDylan Cozens · Roughingdrawn by Brendan Gallagher2 min
  • 8:22BUFBowen Byram · Slashingdrawn by Jake Evans2 min
  • 10:03MTLChristian Dvorak · Roughingdrawn by JJ Peterka2 min
  • 10:03MTLAlexandre Carrier · Roughingdrawn by Rasmus Dahlin2 min
  • 10:03BUFRasmus Dahlin · Roughingdrawn by Alexandre Carrier2 min
  • 12:37BUFRasmus Dahlin · Interferencedrawn by Jake Evans2 min
  • 14:24BUFJJ Peterka · Trippingdrawn by Alexandre Carrier2 min

2nd

  • 4:10MTLAlex Newhook · Interference goalkeeperdrawn by James Reimer2 min
  • 14:32MTLJayden Struble · Interferencedrawn by Beck Malenstyn2 min

3rd

  • 9:38MTLAlex Newhook · Trippingdrawn by Connor Clifton2 min
  • 14:42BUFRasmus Dahlin · Interferencedrawn by Mike Matheson2 min

Win probability

ours · the whole game
Tap or hover the chart for the moment-by-moment number
MTL goalBUF goalFinal: MTL 100%

Biggest swing: Mike Matheson, OT 1:21 — MTL 51% → 100%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
A. Xhekaj · On goal · xG 0.21E. Heineman · Missed · xG 0.21N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.20C. Caufield · Goal · xG 0.20C. Caufield · Missed · xG 0.18J. Slafkovský · On goal · xG 0.16C. Dvorak · Missed · xG 0.15N. Suzuki · Goal · xG 0.14A. Xhekaj · On goal · xG 0.12J. Slafkovský · Goal · xG 0.12J. Slafkovský · On goal · xG 0.11A. Newhook · On goal · xG 0.11N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.10A. Carrier · On goal · xG 0.10J. Armia · Missed · xG 0.10N. Suzuki · Missed · xG 0.08M. Matheson · Goal · xG 0.07A. Newhook · Missed · xG 0.07N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.06C. Dvorak · Missed · xG 0.06A. Newhook · On goal · xG 0.06P. Laine · On goal · xG 0.06C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.03E. Heineman · Missed · xG 0.03J. Slafkovský · Missed · xG 0.03C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.02A. Xhekaj · On goal · xG 0.02A. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.02P. Laine · Missed · xG 0.01D. Savard · Missed · xG 0.01C. Dvorak · On goal · xG 0.01A. Carrier · On goal · xG 0.00
MTL4 G · 2.9 xG · 32 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

BUFvsMTL
4.73 G
All situations
4 G2.9
2.83 G
Even strength
1 G1.9
2.00 G
Power play
2 G0.8
0.00 G
Shorthanded
1 G0.1

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 93 unblocked attempts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
BUF74%26%MTL

Flurry-adjusted xG 4.46 – 2.85

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
36
Shots on goal
20
40%
Faceoffs
60%
0/4
Power play
2/5
12
Penalty minutes
10
37
Hits
20
10
Blocked shots
24
12
Giveaways
14
4
Takeaways
5

Box score

every player line
Buffalo Sabres skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
26R. DahlinD101+260.29416—25:34
4B. ByramD000+210.24102—24:59
89A. TuchR101+141.400106721:42
25O. PowerD000-120.34130—21:10
77J. PeterkaR022+160.45002—20:22
72T. ThompsonC101+150.360003818:36
24D. CozensC011040.486025317:19
12J. GreenwayL000+100.00210—17:05
78J. BrysonD011+100.00000—16:11
20J.KulichC011+100.001103815:13
75C. CliftonD000000.16600—14:45
22J. QuinnR000-130.35110—14:16
71R. McLeodC000000.001004313:08
29B. MalenstynL000000.03500—12:04
8D. GilbertD011000.00220—11:40
9Z. BensonL000020.38100—11:31
19P. KrebsC000000.04300011:14
81S. LaffertyC000030.213003309:46
Buffalo Sabres goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
47J. Reimer(O)20164.8002.86-1.1460:24

Season series

MTL leads 4-0

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