MTL@BUF: Game recap

BUFFALO  – Juraj Slafkovksy’s shootout winner gave the Canadiens a 3-2 win over the Sabres in a thrilling game at KeyBank Center on Saturday.

Jayden Struble scored his first career NHL goal on a tip-in feed from Johnathan Kovacevic in the middle stanza. Fourteen seconds later, the Habs’ No. 14, Nick Suzuki, doubled the Canadiens’ advantage to give the visitors a two-goal cushion heading into the intermission.

The Sabres flipped the switch in the third, however, having regained even ground with goals from Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo, ultimately forcing overtime.

The Canadiens were on the penalty kill for the final 1:06 of regulation, then staved off the Sabres’ power play in the opening 0:54 of the extra frame – one that solved nothing.

After Cayden Primeau – who stopped 46 shots in the win – denied JJ Peterka in the skills competition, Slafkovsky undressed Devon Levi at the other end to secure the victory for Montreal.

For more stats, check out the NHL’s Gamecenter summary here.

Tanner Pearson suffered an upper-body injury in the opening frame and did not return to the game.

Roster

Montreal goals

P2 12:59 [1]-0 Struble (Kovacevic)

P2 13:13 [2]-0 Suzuki (Matheson, Monahan) – PPG

Shootout

Cole Caufield, Jesse Ylonen and Slafkovsky capitalized on each of their attempts.

Suzuki was stopped by Levi.

Buffalo goals

P3 01:06 2-[1] Skinner (Thompson)

P3 06:36 2-[2] Okposo (Clifton)

Shootout

Victor Olofsson and Owen Power scored.

Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka were stopped by Primeau.

What’s next

The Canadiens return to Montreal to host the Nashville Predators on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. ET. For tickets, click here.