Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens: Game Preview and Prediction

Image credits: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Sabres are looking to rebound from their loss in Carolina when they return home to host the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center. The Sabres have emerged from the 4 Nations Face-Off break with a goal to fight their way back into the playoff race, aiming to earn seven points in each five-game segment to put them within earshot of 90 points late in the season. They have won their last six games at KeyBank Center, marking their longest home winning streak since November 2018, and are seeking their 7th straight home victory.

The Canadiens, on the other hand, are looking to make up ground in the playoff race, currently eight points ahead of the Sabres with two more games played. They have found themselves in the crowded pack of Eastern Conference wild card contenders and need to sweep the two games against the Sabres to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Canadiens have achieved their fourth three-game winning streak of the season, with their lineup depth coming through in this stretch, and 14 players have points since the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Sabres and Canadiens will meet for the final time this season on Monday in Montreal, after playing in Buffalo on Saturday. The puck drops on Saturday at 7 p.m., and the game can be watched on MSG in the Buffalo broadcast market, ESPN+ for streaming out of market, and WGR 550 for radio. The Sabres' lines from warmups include JJ Peterka, Ryan McLeod, and Tage Thompson, while the Canadiens will start Jakub Dobes in goal, who has a 5-2-1 record with a .908 save percentage this season. The playoff race is heating up, and both teams are looking to make a push for the postseason, with the Sabres seeking to end their 14th consecutive season without a playoff appearance.

Here are the match scores and player statistics for the two teams:

• Buffalo Sabres: 24-28-5, 53 points, 8th place in the Atlantic Division
• Montreal Canadiens: 28-26-5, 61 points, 7th place in the Atlantic Division
• Top Scorers:
  • Tage Thompson: 51 GP, 28 G, 23 A, 51 PTS
  • Rasmus Dahlin: 49 GP, 9 G, 37 A, 46 PTS
  • Alex Tuch: 57 GP, 21 G, 24 A, 45 PTS
• Starting Goalies:
  • Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen: 20-16-4, 3.01 GAA, .894 save %
  • Jakub Dobes: 5-2-1, 2.71 GAA, .908 save %

The Sabres are riding a six-game home winning streak, and a win tonight would give them a win in seven straight home games for the first time since Oct. 22 to Nov. 24, 1999. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has earned a win in five straight home games, and a win in tonight’s game would make him the first Sabres goaltender to win six or more consecutive home games since Carter Hutton from Nov. 10 to Dec. 13, 2018. Rasmus Dahlin has recorded 24 assists in his last 23 games, and he has registered 15 points (3+12) in his last 12 games. The game is expected to be a high-scoring affair, with both teams looking to make a push for the playoffs.