Tyson Kozak scored in the third period to spark a late comeback attempt, but the Buffalo Sabres lost 4-2 to the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Monday.
The game was tied 1-1 going into the third period. Montreal took control with goals from Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson, making it 3-1 with just over eight minutes left. Kozak responded for Buffalo less than a minute later, narrowing the gap to one goal. In the final minutes, the Sabres outshot Montreal 5-2, but Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped all attempts, finishing with 29 saves, including 12 on high-danger chances.
Alex Lyon started in goal for Buffalo for the sixth consecutive game, making 27 saves on 30 shots.
Buffalo led in shot attempts overall, finishing with a 71-58 advantage.
Montreal had a strong first period, outshooting Buffalo 14-6 and taking a 1-0 lead on a goal by Oliver Kapanen. The Sabres answered in the second period, leading in shots and tying the game with a goal from Jiri Kulich.
Zach Benson assisted on Kulich’s goal, bringing his team-leading point total to six. Benson has recorded at least one point in each of his three games this season after missing time due to a facial injury.
Defenseman Zach Metsa made his NHL debut for Buffalo, replacing Jacob Bryson, who remains in concussion protocol following an injury sustained against Florida. Metsa played just over nine minutes and finished with a plus-1 rating.
The loss marks the sixth straight game against Atlantic Division opponents for Buffalo. The Sabres previously secured home wins against Ottawa and Florida. Their next game is at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Tickets are available online, and the game will be broadcast nationally on TNT at 7:30 p.m.
Scoring summary:
First period: Oliver Kapanen scored for Montreal.
Second period: Jiri Kulich scored for Buffalo, assisted by Zach Benson.
Third period: Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson scored for Montreal; Tyson Kozak scored for Buffalo; Jake Evans added an empty-net goal for Montreal.
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