The Montreal Canadiens edged out the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in a shootout, with Zachary Bolduc netting the decisive goal for the second straight game. After surrendering a two-goal lead, Montreal rallied late before the extra‑time showdown secured the victory. The win keeps the Canadiens’ momentum going as they head to Washington, while Buffalo prepares for a clash in Toronto.
Canadiens rally after early deficit
Montreal struck first when Lane Hutson fired a wrist shot past a screened Ukko‑Pekka Luukkonen on a 5‑on‑3 power play, levelling the contest at 14:28 of the opening frame. Cole Caufield then gave the Habs a 2‑1 advantage early in the second period, one‑timing a slick pass from Juraj Slafkovsky. Hutson later displayed his vision, stickhandling in from the blue line before slipping a no‑look backhand to Josh Anderson, who buried the puck with just fifty seconds left in the period to make it 3‑1. Jacob Fowler, making his third straight start, turned aside 14 shots, building on his 30‑save shutout against Detroit two nights earlier.
Sabres’ rapid comeback
Buffalo refused to fold, with Olen Zellweger opening the scoring on the very first shot, his point attempt ricocheting off defenceman Adam Engstrom and into the net. Josh Norris added a goal for the Sabres, and Zellweger completed his brace by hammering a wrist shot through a crowd after Norris had bounced a point shot off Engstrom. Two quick goals in just 61 seconds midway through the third period erased Montreal’s lead, levelling the score at 3-3 at the 5:25 mark. Beck Malenstyn and Mattias Samuelsson each contributed two assists, while Luukkonen stood tall with 35 saves.
Shootout decides the night
When regulation ended deadlocked, the shootout began. Cole Caufield and Alexandre Texier found the net for Montreal, while Buffalo’s lone reply came from Tage Thompson. Jack Quinn’s miss opened the door for Bolduc, who calmly slipped the puck past Luukkonen to clinch the win. The shootout triumph marked Bolduc’s second consecutive game‑winning effort in the skills competition, underscoring his growing importance in tight moments.
Why it Matters
This victory highlights Montreal’s resilience and the emerging role of young forwards like Bolduc, Hutson and Caufield in delivering clutch performances. For Buffalo, the game exposed defensive lapses despite strong goaltending, signalling work ahead as they aim to tighten up before their Thursday meeting in Toronto. The result also keeps the Canadiens in contention for a playoff push, while the Sabres must regroup quickly to avoid slipping further in the tightly packed Eastern Conference race.
