Last night the Sabres started the second round nicely, getting some timely goals on limited chances with a great game in goal from Alex Lyon to go up 1-0 in the series with a 4-2 win at home.
The Sabres had a great chance just 10 seconds into the game, with Zach Benson drawing yet another penalty to start the series on Cole Hutson. Our little rat. As usual though, the Habs killed it off with our power play getting next to no scoring chances out of it. The Sabres did get on the board first though, pretty early in the game on the first shot of the game with a beautiful pass on a two on one, with Cole Hutson falling from Zach Benson setting up an easy tap in goal for Josh Doan just 4:31 into the game. Our power play had another chance in the first, but again looked like shit, but on that same power play, Zach Benson set up another goal for the Sabres in just the same way, this time setting up the Ryan McLeod tip in to make it 2-0 with 6:34 left in the first. The Habs answered back on the power play with 43.4 seconds left in the first, with Nick Suzuki, tipping it in from a cross crease pass by Juraj Slafkovsky. I had bets on both of those guys to get points, so I’m kind of okay with it, but man that sucks to give up so late in the period. Pretty solid, fun start to this game.
3:32 into the second period, Jordan Greenway got his first goal of the playoffs, getting the Sabres back up two, making it 3-1 on a nicely screened shot, going off Dobes’ glove and into the net. Great answer from that late goal in the first. The Sabres got their second on the power play, with a hell of a shot from Bowen Byram with 9:01 into the second, walking down the slot to make it 4-1. Huge that we could get the power play finally going. With 3:29 left in the second, Tage had an unfortunate turnover, leading to a rush on a two on one with Zach Bolduc and Kirby Dach, and as Dach was falling to the ice chasing his own rebound on the initial shot, he was able to get his stick on the rolling puck and elevated the puck over Lyon’s glove side to get make it a 4-2 game. Another solid period of hockey, with both teams battling, but we have the lead by two goals, so let’s keep playing hard here and get the win.
The third period was great, with both teams getting some very good chances, but the Sabres held off the pressure from the Habs and got the win.
FINAL: Sabres 4, Canadiens 2
Sabres lead series 1-0
What a game. We got outshot 28-16, which wasn’t great, but I thought we played quite well on both ends of the ice all night to get the win. Alex Lyon was fantastic in goal, with some help from the posts. Really good game, and the offense was successful on limited opportunities with some big goals from the depth in our line. Zach Benson was fantastic, drawing a penalty early and getting two fantastic assists to set up the first two goals of the first period. Then even though we only had one shot on goal in the third period, locked down and held off the comeback push from Montreal. Very good game.
Let’s win again on Friday night!
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