The Buffalo Sabres (4-2-0) play host to the Montreal Canadiens (3-4-0) at KeyBank Center on Thursday. Montreal is embarking on a five-game road trip coming off a 3-1 loss against the Wild on Tuesday. The Canadiens committed five penalties in the game, though they held Minnesota without a power play goal.
Cole Caufield was the only player to find the net for the Canadiens. Jake Allen saved an impressive 28 of 30 shots (.933%) in the loss. Buffalo is returning home for a five-game homestand after a 5-1 loss against the Kraken on Tuesday, ending a three-game winning streak. Dylan Cozens was the only player to score for the Sabres. Eric Comrie saved only 19 of 24 shots against (.791%) in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Sabres won three of the four games between the teams last season, although the Canadiens were 4-0 victors in their final meeting in February. Nick Suzuki led Montreal with three points (2G 1A). Sam Montembeault saved 32 shots to earn the shutout win.
FACING OFF
Montreal is averaging 2.43 goals per game so far this season, 29th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Sabres team that is allowing 2.67 goals a game (7th). Meanwhile, Buffalo has found the net 3.83 times a game on average, fourth in the league, and the Canadiens are allowing opponents to score 3.00 goals per game (12th).
The Canadiens’ 4.76% power play percentage is the second-lowest in the league, while the Sabres rank 25th with a conversion rate of 13.64%. When it comes to defending power plays, Montreal has the league’s eighth-ranked PK% at 85.71%, while Buffalo is 21st at 76.19%.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With seven points this season, Suzuki is the top skater for the Canadiens. He has three goals and four assists in seven games. In the net, Montembeault (1-1-0) is Montreal’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.48 GAA and a .912% save percentage.
Allen (2-3-0) leads the Canadiens in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 2.63 and a save percentage of .917%. Rasmus Dahlin leads the Sabres in scoring with nine points. He has five goals (5th) and four assists in six games. Craig Anderson (2-0-0) has the best goals against average for Buffalo at 1.00, best in the league.
He has a save percentage of .970%, also best. Comrie (2-2-0) has played the most games in net for the Sabres this season. He has a 3.50 GAA and a .908% save percentage.
HOME AND AWAY
Montreal is winless away from home this season. Buffalo is 1-1-0 at home this season.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Buffalo Sabres (-160)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
