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Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens

FinalTV MSG-B, Prime·Centre Bell

Recap

written from the game data

The Montréal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-2. The Canadiens scored first and never trailed. It was tied 1-1 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Juraj Slafkovský's goal at 2:57 of the third period, which took the Canadiens' chances from 52% to 77%. Expected goals favored the Sabres, 4.2 to 3.7; shots on goal were BUF 32, MTL 32. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Sabres win a replay of these chances 70% of the time. Alex Lyon stopped 28 of 31 (.903); Jakub Dobes stopped 30 of 32 (.938), 2.2 goals saved above expected. Three stars: 1. Juraj Slafkovský (1 G), 2. Jake Evans (1 G), 3. Jakub Dobes (30 saves, .938).

Three stars

  1. ★
    MTL
    J. Slafkovský1 G
  2. ★★
    MTL
    J. Evans1 G
  3. ★★★
    MTL
    J. Dobes30 saves, .938

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
BUFBUF06111115232
MTLMTL11404314432

Scoring

6 goals

1st period

  1. MTL
    backhandxG 0.17win prob +13 ptsVideo
    0-1
    8:29

2nd period

  1. BUF
    backhandxG 0.12win prob +17 ptsVideo
    1-1
    6:51

3rd period

  1. MTL
    snapxG 0.20win prob +25 ptsVideo
    1-2
    2:57
  2. MTL
    wristxG 0.10win prob +13 ptsVideo
    1-3
    11:38
  3. BUF
    snapxG 0.29win prob +11 ptsVideo
    2-3
    12:30
  4. MTL
    snapxG 0.70win prob +2 ptsVideo
    2-4
    19:29

Penalties

BUF 6 PIM·MTL 6 PIM

1st

  • 16:09MTLJuraj Slafkovský · Roughingdrawn by Zach Metsa2 min
  • 16:09BUFZach Metsa · Roughingdrawn by Juraj Slafkovský2 min

2nd

  • 10:49MTLBrendan Gallagher · Slashingdrawn by Alex Lyon2 min

3rd

  • 8:12BUFZach Benson · Trippingdrawn by Cole Caufield2 min
  • 15:16MTLJuraj Slafkovský · Roughingdrawn by Tage Thompson2 min
  • 15:16BUFTage Thompson · Roughingdrawn by Juraj Slafkovský2 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: Juraj Slafkovský, 3rd 2:57 — MTL 52% → 77%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
J. Evans · Goal · xG 0.71J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.36N. Suzuki · Missed · xG 0.26J. Slafkovský · Goal · xG 0.20O. Kapanen · Goal · xG 0.17Z. Bolduc · On goal · xG 0.15O. Kapanen · Missed · xG 0.14B. Gallagher · On goal · xG 0.14J. Slafkovský · On goal · xG 0.12L. Hutson · Goal · xG 0.10J. Struble · On goal · xG 0.09B. Gallagher · On goal · xG 0.09N. Suzuki · Missed · xG 0.09M. Matheson · Missed · xG 0.09I. Demidov · Missed · xG 0.09J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.08N. Dobson · On goal · xG 0.07Z. Bolduc · On goal · xG 0.07J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.07A. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.05J. Struble · On goal · xG 0.05J. Slafkovský · On goal · xG 0.05C. Caufield · Missed · xG 0.04J. Anderson · Missed · xG 0.04J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.04B. Gallagher · On goal · xG 0.04J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.03C. Caufield · On goal · xG 0.03J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.02J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.02A. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.02J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.02A. Carrier · Missed · xG 0.02M. Matheson · Missed · xG 0.02A. Carrier · On goal · xG 0.01L. Hutson · On goal · xG 0.01N. Dobson · On goal · xG 0.01O. Beck · Missed · xG 0.01O. Beck · Missed · xG 0.01J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.01A. Xhekaj · Missed · xG 0.01J. Evans · On goal · xG 0.01J. Struble · Missed · xG 0.01N. Suzuki · On goal · xG 0.01J. Anderson · On goal · xG 0.01A. Newhook · On goal · xG 0.00N. Dobson · On goal · xG 0.00
MTL4 G · 3.7 xG · 47 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

BUFvsMTL
4.22 G
All situations
3 G3.7
3.62 G
Even strength
3 G2.6
0.60 G
Power play
0 G0.3

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 98 unblocked attempts. Empty-net goals are left out of the goal counts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
BUF70%30%MTL

Flurry-adjusted xG 4.12 – 2.80

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
32
Shots on goal
32
44%
Faceoffs
56%
0/1
Power play
0/1
6
Penalty minutes
6
15
Hits
22
9
Blocked shots
21
15
Giveaways
11
6
Takeaways
3

Box score

every player line
Buffalo Sabres skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
26R. DahlinD011-140.33000—26:52
4B. ByramD000+110.10010—23:07
25O. PowerD000-220.17100—21:17
6Z. BensonL011-170.49102—21:11
72T. ThompsonC000-230.672121720:18
89A. TuchR000-120.60000—20:08
71R. McLeodC000-120.201104819:58
23M. SamuelssonD000-110.07220—19:13
21C. TimminsD000-200.02010—18:47
20J.KulichC101020.180003018:00
91J. DoanR000020.58110—15:53
19P. KrebsC000-110.014104413:29
22J. QuinnR011010.12000—13:17
17J. ZuckerL000-210.01000—12:35
48T. KozakC101+120.362007510:59
73Z. MetsaD000+100.00012—09:02
44J. DunneC000010.28100006:35
55M. GeertsenL000000.00000—05:27
Buffalo Sabres goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
34A. Lyon(L)31283.9032.88-0.1257:52

Season series

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