Caufield and Hutson Push Canadiens Past Sabres at the Bell Centre
Luukkonen keeps Buffalo in it, but Montréal’s pressure line keeps coming as Slafkovský feeds the attack.
Montréal didn’t just win; they carried the game by living in the dangerous areas and piling up pressure shifts. The chances tell the tale: the Canadiens’ looks were worth 5.14 expected goals to Buffalo’s 2.10, and it felt like it.
Cole Caufield led the charge with five shots and a goal, while Juraj Slafkovský slipped two smart feeds into Grade-A space. Lane Hutson played a massive 27:07, jumped into holes, and chipped in a goal and an assist. Add Nick Suzuki’s five shots and constant middle-lane threats, and Montréal kept stacking multi-shot sequences that forced scrambles and rebounds. They also won the shot-attempt battle by a healthy margin, which matched the eye test.
Buffalo’s box score—just 17 shots—masks how much work Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen did. He stopped 35 of 38 and posted +2.14 goals saved above expected, the reason this stayed close. On the other end, Jacob Fowler’s 14 saves on 17 shots didn’t bury Montréal; the skaters created enough to power through. No posts either—this wasn’t about iron luck.
For context: Montréal’s home form has been uneven (1-2-0), but this was their attack asserting itself. For Buffalo, without Rasmus Dahlin, the defensive structure frayed under sustained pressure despite a brave night in net.
