Skip to content

Montréal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres

FinalTV TNT, truTV·KeyBank Center

Recap

written from the game data

The Montréal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-3. The Sabres scored first; the Canadiens answered. The Canadiens led 5-3 after two periods. The biggest swing in win probability was Jake Evans's goal at 16:15 of the second period, which took the Canadiens' chances from 47% to 69%. Expected goals were close — MTL 3.4, BUF 3.4; shots on goal were MTL 26, BUF 36. With league-average goaltending at both ends, the Sabres win a replay of these chances 54% of the time. Jakub Dobes stopped 33 of 36 (.917); Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 18 of 23 (.783), 2.1 goals below expected. Three stars: 1. Nick Suzuki (1 G, 2 A), 2. Juraj Slafkovský (3 A), 3. Ivan Demidov (1 G, 1 A).

Three stars

  1. ★
    MTL
    N. Suzuki1 G, 2 A
  2. ★★
    MTL
    J. Slafkovský3 A
  3. ★★★
    MTL
    I. Demidov1 G, 1 A

Line score

goals · shots on goal beneath
Goals and shots on goal by period
Team1st2nd3rdT
MTLMTL21131213626
BUFBUF3907020336

Scoring

9 goals

1st period

  1. BUF
    deflectedxG 0.07win prob +11 ptsVideo
    0-1
    2:00
  2. MTL
    snapxG 0.37win prob +12 ptsVideo
    1-1
    6:31
  3. BUF
    slapxG 0.02win prob +12 ptsVideo
    1-2
    7:45
  4. MTL
    deflectedxG 0.08win prob +12 ptsVideo
    2-2
    7:54
  5. BUF
    wristxG 0.06win prob +13 ptsVideo
    2-3
    10:15

2nd period

  1. MTL
    snapxG 0.12win prob +18 ptsVideo
    3-3
    8:01
  2. MTL
    pokexG 0.58win prob +22 ptsVideo
    4-3
    16:15
  3. MTL
    N. Suzuki(4)PPG
    snapxG 0.14win prob +13 ptsVideo
    5-3
    17:33

3rd period

  1. MTL
    wristxG 0.09win prob +6 ptsVideo
    6-3
    3:32

Penalties

MTL 16 PIM·BUF 16 PIM

2nd

  • 12:51MTLJuraj Slafkovský · High stickingdrawn by Josh Doan2 min
  • 17:23BUFTage Thompson · Cross checkingdrawn by Jake Evans2 min

3rd

  • 2:09BUFRasmus Dahlin · Cross checkingdrawn by Ivan Demidov2 min
  • 16:32MTLJosh Anderson · Slashingdrawn by Bowen Byram2 min
  • 16:32BUFBowen Byram · Cross checkingdrawn by Josh Anderson2 min
  • 16:32MTLLane Hutson · Cross checkingdrawn by Jack Quinn2 min
  • 17:50BUFZach Benson · Misconduct10 min
  • 17:50MTLAlex Newhook · Misconduct10 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: Jake Evans, 2nd 16:15 — MTL 47% → 69%

Shot map

unblocked attempts · size = our xG
R. Dahlin · On goal · xG 0.39J. Norris · On goal · xG 0.21B. Byram · On goal · xG 0.17K. Helenius · On goal · xG 0.17T. Thompson · On goal · xG 0.16J. Norris · Missed · xG 0.15R. McLeod · On goal · xG 0.12J. Norris · On goal · xG 0.11Z. Benson · Missed · xG 0.10K. Helenius · Missed · xG 0.10P. Krebs · On goal · xG 0.10J. Doan · Missed · xG 0.09J. Quinn · Missed · xG 0.09J. Zucker · On goal · xG 0.08J. Doan · On goal · xG 0.07J. Norris · Missed · xG 0.07J. Quinn · On goal · xG 0.07J. Zucker · Goal · xG 0.07K. Helenius · Goal · xG 0.06J. Quinn · On goal · xG 0.06J. Norris · Missed · xG 0.06R. McLeod · Missed · xG 0.06J. Doan · On goal · xG 0.06A. Tuch · On goal · xG 0.06J. Norris · On goal · xG 0.06B. Malenstyn · Missed · xG 0.05R. Dahlin · On goal · xG 0.05M. Samuelsson · On goal · xG 0.04R. Dahlin · On goal · xG 0.04Z. Benson · Missed · xG 0.04A. Tuch · On goal · xG 0.03J. Norris · On goal · xG 0.03J. Quinn · On goal · xG 0.03M. Samuelsson · On goal · xG 0.03M. Samuelsson · On goal · xG 0.03B. Byram · On goal · xG 0.03O. Power · Missed · xG 0.03B. Byram · On goal · xG 0.02J. Doan · Goal · xG 0.02T. Thompson · On goal · xG 0.02T. Thompson · On goal · xG 0.02O. Power · Missed · xG 0.02M. Samuelsson · On goal · xG 0.02Z. Benson · On goal · xG 0.02M. Samuelsson · On goal · xG 0.01K. Helenius · Missed · xG 0.01O. Power · Missed · xG 0.01C. Timmins · On goal · xG 0.01J. Greenway · On goal · xG 0.01R. Dahlin · Missed · xG 0.01P. Krebs · Missed · xG 0.01M. Samuelsson · Missed · xG 0.01J. Doan · Missed · xG 0.01O. Power · Missed · xG 0.01Z. Benson · Missed · xG 0.01B. Byram · On goal · xG 0.01P. Krebs · Missed · xG 0.01
BUF3 G · 3.4 xG · 57 att
Tap a shot for who, when and how likely
GoalOn goalMissedBigger = higher xG

Expected goals

MTLvsBUF
3.46 G
All situations
3 G3.4
3.04 G
Even strength
3 G2.8
0.22 G
Power play
0 G0.6

Expected goals: the chance each unblocked attempt scores, from our shot model, summed. 96 unblocked attempts.

Deserve to win

on the chances created
MTL46%54%BUF

Flurry-adjusted xG 3.08 – 3.30

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
26
Shots on goal
36
56%
Faceoffs
44%
2/2
Power play
0/2
16
Penalty minutes
16
19
Hits
22
25
Blocked shots
11
16
Giveaways
11
5
Takeaways
4

Box score

every player line
Montréal Canadiens skaters
SkaterGAP+/-SOGixGHitBlkPIMFO%TOI
8M. MathesonD000-110.04140—26:18
45A. CarrierD011010.01140—23:27
14N. SuzukiC123010.142203820:45
21K. GuhleD000+110.00150—20:38
48L. HutsonD022+110.02002—20:33
53N. DobsonD000+110.08230—20:20
20J. SlafkovskýL033-120.35112—19:17
71J. EvansC101+110.580105417:50
13C. CaufieldR101030.47100—16:48
15A. NewhookC011+100.051110016:15
24P. DanaultC022+100.081107816:00
93I. DemidovR112050.61210—14:44
17J. AndersonR101+210.1201210014:29
85A. TexierL101+130.3300010012:27
90J. VelenoC000-110.130006009:56
76Z. BolducR000-100.12200—09:52
77K. DachC000040.233005009:05
72A. XhekajD000000.00110—07:16
Montréal Canadiens goalies
GoalieSASVGASV%xGAGSAxTOI
75J. Dobes(W)36333.9173.42+0.4260:00

Series

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