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Montréal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres

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Recap

written from the game data

The Montréal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-0. The Canadiens scored first and never trailed. The Canadiens led 1-0 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Artturi Lehkonen's goal at 4:56 of the second period, which took the Canadiens' chances from 47% to 64%. Expected goals favored the Canadiens, 3.5 to 2.7; shots on goal were MTL 24, BUF 35. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Sabres win a replay of these chances 76% of the time. Antti Niemi stopped 35 of 35 (1.000), 2.7 goals saved above expected; Linus Ullmark stopped 21 of 22 (.955). Three stars: 1. Antti Niemi (35 saves, 1.000), 2. Artturi Lehkonen (1 G), 3. Linus Ullmark (21 saves, .955).

Three stars

  1. ★
    MTL
    A. Niemi35 saves, 1.000
  2. ★★
    MTL
    A. Lehkonen1 G
  3. ★★★
    BUF
    L. Ullmark21 saves, .955

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
MTLMTL0611127324
BUFBUF011010014035

Scoring

3 goals

2nd period

  1. MTL
    slapxG 0.12win prob +17 pts
    1-0
    4:56

3rd period

  1. MTL
    P. Byron(18)EN
    J. Drouin (27), C. Hudon (20)
    wristxG 0.90win prob +5 pts
    2-0
    18:45
  2. MTL
    wristxG 0.59
    3-0
    19:16

Penalties

MTL 4 PIM·BUF 4 PIM

1st

  • 15:55BUFKyle Okposo · Slashingdrawn by Logan Shaw2 min

2nd

  • 12:00BUFJohan Larsson · Slashingdrawn by Daniel Carr2 min

3rd

  • 5:58MTLNikita Scherbak · Trippingdrawn by Johan Larsson2 min
  • 6:53MTLArtturi Lehkonen · Trippingdrawn by Rasmus Ristolainen2 min

Win probability

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

Biggest swing: Artturi Lehkonen, 2nd 4:56 — MTL 47% → 64%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
S. Reinhart · On goal · xG 0.32J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.17S. Reinhart · On goal · xG 0.15R. O'Reilly · Missed · xG 0.15R. O'Reilly · Missed · xG 0.14J. Eichel · Missed · xG 0.13Z. Girgensons · On goal · xG 0.12Z. Girgensons · Missed · xG 0.11S. Reinhart · On goal · xG 0.11M. Scandella · On goal · xG 0.10S. Wilson · On goal · xG 0.09R. O'Reilly · Missed · xG 0.07J. Nolan · Missed · xG 0.07S. Wilson · Missed · xG 0.07K. Okposo · On goal · xG 0.06J. Larsson · Missed · xG 0.06S. Wilson · On goal · xG 0.06J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.06K. Okposo · On goal · xG 0.05J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.05S. Reinhart · Missed · xG 0.05J. Nolan · On goal · xG 0.05B. Guhle · On goal · xG 0.05R. Ristolainen · Missed · xG 0.04R. O'Reilly · On goal · xG 0.03S. Wilson · Missed · xG 0.03R. Ristolainen · On goal · xG 0.03S. Wilson · On goal · xG 0.03J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.03B. Guhle · On goal · xG 0.02J. Eichel · On goal · xG 0.02M. Scandella · On goal · xG 0.02V. Antipin · On goal · xG 0.02S. Reinhart · On goal · xG 0.02S. Reinhart · On goal · xG 0.02B. Guhle · On goal · xG 0.02J. Pominville · On goal · xG 0.01C. Nelson · On goal · xG 0.01B. Pouliot · On goal · xG 0.01C. Nelson · On goal · xG 0.01V. Antipin · Missed · xG 0.01B. Pouliot · On goal · xG 0.01J. Nolan · On goal · xG 0.01J. Gorges · On goal · xG 0.01J. Nolan · On goal · xG 0.01S. Wilson · Missed · xG 0.01R. O'Reilly · On goal · xG 0.00C. Nelson · On goal · xG 0.00
BUF0 G · 2.7 xG · 48 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

MTLvsBUF
3.51 G
All situations
0 G2.7
1.21 G
Even strength
0 G2.2
0.10 G
Power play
0 G0.5

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 82 unblocked attempts. Empty-net goals are left out of the goal counts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
MTL24%76%BUF

Flurry-adjusted xG 1.31 – 2.66

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

MTLvsBUF
24
Shots on goal
35
50%
Faceoffs
50%
0/2
Power play
0/2
4
Penalty minutes
4
19
Hits
28
8
Blocked shots
6
6
Giveaways
11
4
Takeaways
4

Box score

every player line
Montréal Canadiens skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
26J. PetryD000+110.03110—24:56
22K. AlznerD000+200.00100—21:09
28M. ReillyD000020.06000—19:23
58N. JuulsenD000+210.01220—18:53
92J. DrouinL011+110.020004518:21
27A. GalchenyukC011+110.04010017:37
8J. BennD000+110.02010—17:15
11B. GallagherR101+130.781107517:05
41P. ByronL101+141.89200—17:02
38N. ScherbakR000+120.03002—16:43
62A. LehkonenL101+120.21312—16:35
25J. de la RoseL011+130.140006015:46
54C. HudonL011+120.0920010015:27
36B. LernoutD000000.02310—14:26
49L. ShawR011+100.051005013:56
43D. CarrL000010.03000—11:09
42B. FroeseC000000.051002010:29
20N. DeslauriersL000000.00200—09:48
Montréal Canadiens goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
37A. Niemi(W)353501.0002.71+2.7160:00

Season series

MTL leads 4-0

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