Sabres vs. Canadiens | How to watch, lineup notes, and storylines

The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens should be well acquainted by the end of the month.

The Sabres host the Canadiens tonight at KeyBank Center, marking the first of three matchups between the two teams over the next 17 days. They’ll meet again in Montreal a week from tonight, then conclude the season series Jan. 31 in Buffalo.

The rivalry should only be amplified given the stakes in the standings. The Canadiens are in third place in the Atlantic Division; the Sabres trail them by five points, but with two games in hand.

The Sabres are coming off an important win in the standings on Wednesday, having beaten the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 to move back into the first wild card spot and improve to 14-2-0 in their last 16 games.

Read about the win – which featured a two-goal performance from Rasmus Dahlin and a dazzling save from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – in Wednesday’s Postgame Report.

What’s been an electric atmosphere in KeyBank Center of late will have an added dimension on Thursday as 19 alumni return for 2005-06 Reunion Night. A special pregame celebration will begin at 7 p.m.

Here’s what you need to know in the meantime.

2005-06 Reunion Content

• Read: Ruff offers thoughts on returning alumni
• Photos: 2005-06 through the lens
• Photos: 2005-06 fan moments
• Watch the top clutch moments from 2005-06

How to watch

TV (Sabres broadcast market): MSG (Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, ESPN+ (out of market)

Radio: WGR 550 / Buffalo Sabres App

More ways to watch/listen to Sabres games

Lineup notes

The Sabres lost forward Josh Norris to an upper-body injury late in the second period against the Flyers. Coach Lindy Ruff said the injury was the result of a cross-check to the ribs.

“I really don’t know where we’re at with that right now,” Ruff said postgame. “He’ll be evaluated in the morning. We’re hoping it’s nothing too serious, but I think that’s always what you hope.”

Buffalo will not have a morning skate, so check back during pregame warmups for a potential update on Norris’ status.

With Luukkonen having started against the Flyers to open the back-to-back set, look for Colten Ellis to likely get the nod in goal against the Canadiens.

Quick hits

• Alex Tuch and Ryan McLeod connected on a shorthanded, empty-net goal against the Flyers to extend both of their respective point streaks to five games. Tuch has three goals and three assists in that span; McLeod has three goals and four assists.
• Dahlin has points in six straight games against the Canadiens.
• Buffalo is 3-1-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets this season.

Scouting the Canadiens

The Canadiens are 11-3-4 in their last 17 games. They’re coming off an overtime defeat in Washington on Tuesday, so the Sabres will need to be on high alert – the Canadiens have not lost consecutive games since early December.

Montreal has been one of the league’s highest-scoring teams this season, driven by captain Nick Suzuki and a group of up-and-coming players. After Suzuki, their point leaders are defenseman Lane Hutson (age 21) and forwards Cole Caufield (25), Ivan Demidov (20) and Juraj Slavkovsky (21).

The team has deployed a three-goal rotation of late, with 21-year-old Jacob Fowler – the best of the three in terms of save percentage at .908 – likely set up to start in Buffalo.