Two of the NHL’s best stories so far this season will highlight a busy Saturday slate as the Montreal Canadiens head south of the border to face the division-rival Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres come into the clash as the league’s hottest team, carrying a five-game win streak, while the high-flying Canadiens enter as winners of their past two, including a 7-3 thrashing of the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
Captain Nick Suzuki tallied two goals and an assist, while Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach each finished with a goal and an assist in the blowout victory.
“Yeah, it feels great,” Suzuki remarked to the media when asked about the Canadiens back-to-back wins over formidable opponents in the Vegas Golden Knights and Avalanche. “Our division and the conference is super tight and every point is going to matter coming down to the stretch.”
Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen and Zack Bolduc also chipped in with a pair of assists each in the victory.
Despite conquering the league’s top team, Slafkovsky kept his eyes set on their upcoming divisional clash in the postgame presser.
“We had a good start from the first shift, we were making plays,” Slafkovsky said when asked about the victory. “… It’s a big win for us for sure, but now we have to focus on Saturday.”
Montreal has plenty of reason to give its upcoming contest extra attention, seeing as Buffalo has already taken down the Canadiens twice this month, with a 5-3 home victory on Jan. 15, followed up by a 4-2 road win on Jan. 22.
A date with the Sabres is no longer the walk in the park that it had been for so many years.
With their last playoff appearance dating back to 2011, the Sabres were year after year one of the league’s punching bags. Thanks to a 17-6-3 home record and a tie in points with the Canadiens for the third spot in the Atlantic division, the tide finally seems to be turning in Western New York.
After wins on the road against the Nashville Predators, Montreal, the New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sabres returned home and secured a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Alex Tuch had a hat trick and Alex Lyon set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive victory between the pipes for Buffalo.
“So, for me. I’m just happy for the team,” Lyon humbly said when speaking to the media about his record-setting accomplishment. “My goal coming into the season was to help win games and try to fight for that ultimate goal, and that’s what’s most important to me.”
Jack Quinn tallied a trio of assists and Ryan McLeod picked up a pair as well to help the Sabres notch their 20th win over their past 24 games (20-3-1).
“We’re coming in with a lot of confidence,” Tuch said to the media. “Everybody’s coming in trying to prove themselves, and we’re trying to prove as a team that we’re legit. We’re not just gonna go for the playoffs, we’re gonna go for the (Stanley) Cup, and that’s our goal: get better each and every day.”
A franchise that has yet to etch its name on the side of Lord Stanley’s silver since their inception in 1970, their first playoff appearance in 15 years would seemingly be a huge step toward turning dreams into reality for Sabres fans.
