At the Horn | MTL 4 - BUF 3 (SO)

The Buffalo Sabres lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at Bell Centre.

Buffalo trailed 3-1 through two periods but tied it early in the third with quick goals from Josh Norris and Olen Zellweger – Zellweger’s second of the night. The comeback effort netted the Sabres one point before Alexandre Texier scored the shootout winner for Montreal.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen got the start in net and made 35 saves on 38 shots in regulation/overtime. In the first period, he made one of the best saves you’ll see, lunging to his left and robbing Josh Anderson on a 2-on-0 Canadiens break (video below). Luukkonen also stoned Phillip Danault alone in front with seconds remaining in regulation.

The Sabres were without Rasmus Dahlin (upper body, day to day), which meant heavy workloads for defensemen Owen Power (28:22), Mattias Samuelsson (26:38) and Zellweger (25:49). Dennis Gilbert stepped in for his season debut and had an assist in 8:41.

Buffalo returns to Montreal for a rematch this Saturday at 7 p.m., the second of the four-game season series.

Statistics

Scoring summary

BUF 1 – MTL 0 | Period 1, 2:16 – Olen Zellweger (1) from Mattias Samuelsson (2) and Beck Malenstyn (1)

BUF 1 – MTL 1 | Period 1, 14:28 (PP) – Lane Hutson (1) from Juraj Slafkovsky (1) and Cole Caufield (1)

BUF 1 – MTL 2 | Period 2, 1:19 – Cole Caufield (3) from Juraj Slafkovsky (2) and Nick Suzuki (5)

BUF 1 – MTL 3 | Period 2, 19:11 – Josh Anderson (2) from Lane Hutson (5) and Zachary Bolduc (1)

BUF 2 – MTL 3 | Period 3, 4:24 – Josh Norris (1) from Dennis Gilbert (1)

BUF 3 – MTL 3 | Period 3, 5:25 – Olen Zellweger (2) from Zach Benson (3) and Mattias Samuelsson (3)

BUF 3 – MTL 4 | Shootout winner – Alexandre Texier

Full highlights

Luukkonen robs Anderson

Up next

The Sabres visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday at 7 p.m. MSG’s pregame coverage starts at 6:30.