After a solid performance and a 3-1 victory over the Leafs on Friday, the Sabres were unable to win their second straight games against a division opponent on Saturday. Brian Gionta’s two goals led Montreal to its third victory over Buffalo this season.
The Sabres looked flat, and the Canadiens took advantage of it, outshooting Buffalo 20-8 in the opening period. Buffalo always seem to have trouble during the second game of back to back nights.
Andrei Kostitsyn scored on a 5-on-3, putting the Canadiens up 1-0. Montreal outshot Buffalo 20-8 in the opening period.
After some hard work along the boards, Thomas Vanek won the battle for the puck, but then gave it away. Montreal showed Buffalo how to handle a 2-on-1 rush with Gionta scoring his first of the game.
The Sabres didn’t get much going at all, until the very end of the game, when they desperately tried to break the shutout. With 1:13 remaining, Jordan Leopold scored the lone goal for Buffalo. Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville assisted on the goal.
Ryan Miller kept the Sabres in the game, making some keys stops throughout the game. Miller was sharp, but the Sabres lacked effort, allowing Montreal to put on consistent pressure.
Captain Craig Rivet was benched once again by head coach Lindy Ruff, making it the fifth time this season. Rivet also missed five games this season due to food poisoning.
At the very least, the Sabres will only be able to split the season series with Montreal. The Canadiens have defeated Buffalo in all three meetings this season, and three remain.
The Sabres don’t play again until Friday, when the will face the Columbus Blue Jackets.