Buffalo’s National Hockey League franchise stayed competitive on Tuesday night in Montreal, earning a point despite a 4‑3 shootout defeat to the Canadiens. The game, played at the Bell Centre, highlighted a strong performance by Sabres goaltender Ukko‑Pekka Luukkonen, who turned aside 35 of 38 shots.
Key moments
Luukkonen made a crucial play early in the first period, lunging to deny Josh Anderson on a two‑on‑none breakaway. With just three seconds remaining in regulation, he stopped a close‑range tip from Phillip Danault, sending the contest into overtime.
Buffalo trailed 3‑1 after two periods, but the third period sparked a quick comeback. Within 61 seconds, Josh Norris and Olen Zellweger each scored to tie the game. Zellweger added a second goal later in the period, giving the Sabres a brief lead before the Canadiens responded.
Shootout details
In the shootout, forward Tage Thompson converted his attempt for Buffalo, but Montreal’s Zachary Bolduc answered with the decisive goal, clinching the win for the Habs.
Statistically, the Sabres were outshot 38‑17 and failed to capitalize on five power‑play opportunities, going zero for five. The loss leaves Buffalo with a three‑three‑one record for the month.
Looking ahead
The Sabres head to Toronto for their next matchup on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. EDT, hoping to build on the resilience shown in Montreal and turn the point earned into a full victory.
Original reporting: WESB (Bradford) — read the source article.
