Mike Matheson scored 1:21 into overtime as the Montreal Canadiens recovered from surrendering a three-goal lead to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 at Bell Centre on Monday, extending their winning streak to five games— their longest in three years.
Matheson sealed the victory with a wrist shot from the right face-off dot, opting to shoot on a 2-on-1 rush past Sabres goaltender James Reimer.
“I don’t know if the streak necessarily matters more than just the fact that we’ve been able to get 10 points,” Matheson said. “If we had lost tonight, it wouldn’t mean that the next game (at the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday) was any more important than it still is now.”
Suzuki shines as Canadiens continue streak
Nick Suzuki led the Canadiens (30-26-5) with a goal and three assists, while Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky also found the net. Lane Hutson recorded two assists, and Sam Montembeault made 33 saves.
Suzuki, named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week earlier on Monday, has amassed 13 points (four goals, nine assists) during a five-game point streak.
“I’m playing with good players, we’re using each other well, the power play’s been good,” Suzuki said. “It’s nice when our line feels good and we’re doing things properly and getting rewarded for it.”
Buffalo (24-29-6) suffered its third consecutive defeat, including a 4-2 loss to Montreal on Saturday. Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin scored, while Reimer stopped 16 shots.
Canadiens capitalise on special teams
Montreal went 2-for-5 on the power play, striking twice in the opening period. Dahlin, who took three minor penalties in the game—including back-to-back infractions midway through the first—admitted his mistakes proved costly.
“That’s on me, too, some really dumb penalties,” Dahlin said. “It kept them in the game. Every time we were playing 5-on-5, we were in their zone and creating a lot, so it’s a tough one.”
Caufield opened the scoring at 9:42 of the first period with his 30th goal of the season, finishing a power-play pass from Suzuki. The Canadiens doubled their lead just two minutes later when Suzuki scored short-handed off a Matheson assist.
Slafkovsky extended the advantage to 3-0 at 13:42, his cross-crease pass deflecting in off Sabres defenceman Connor Clifton.
Tuch responded for Buffalo at 18:07 of the second, netting his fourth consecutive game with a goal.
Thompson pulled the Sabres within one at 3:24 of the third, firing a one-timer past Montembeault. Dahlin then forced overtime with a wrist shot from the left circle at 18:59, with Reimer pulled for an extra attacker.
Sabres rue missed power-play chances
Buffalo failed to capitalise on multiple power-play opportunities throughout the game, a factor Thompson acknowledged.
“Special teams, just in general, let us down tonight,” Thompson said. “We had plenty of chances on the power play to get back in it, even take a lead… We just kept giving them momentum every time they would kill it.”
Despite clawing back to secure a point, Thompson admitted the team needed to find a way to secure both.
The Sabres host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, while the Canadiens open a four-game road trip Thursday against the Oilers.
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