Sabres vs. Canadiens live score, updates, highlights from Game 2 of NHL playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens are back at it on Friday night.
It’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals back at the KeyBank Center in downtown Buffalo. The Sabres hold a 1-0 series edge in the best-of-seven series.
It’s a pivotal game in the series. Buffalo has a chance to take a commanding 2-0 series lead with it when action shifts to Montreal, or the Canadiens can even it up and take the momentum home with them.
Game 1 was a 4-2 Sabres win in which Montreal had more shots but Buffalo controlled the scoreboard pretty much all the way through.
From an early Josh Doan goal onward, the Sabres played from in front on Wednesday night.
On Friday, we’ll be tracking the action live below with updates throughout Game 2.
MORE: Sabres’ anthem singer has a message for the haters
Sabres vs. Canadiens live score
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Score | |
| Canadiens | 2* | – | – | 2 |
| Sabres | – | – | – | – |
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Sabres vs. Canadiens live updates
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First period
– Lane Hutson with a key play in front to stop the Benson-Norris-Doan line from an open shot on goal.
– Another shot with Tuch with eight seconds left on the power play, saved in Dobes’ chest. The Canadiens kill off the man advantage.
– Dobes makes a great glove save against Josh Doan with 1:09 left on the power play. Then he makes a save with his head on Alex Tuch.
– Sabres going on the power play. Carrier trips Zucker with 12:26 left in the first.
– Nick Suzuki found himself in behind on a pass banked off the boards, but his backhand try was gloved by Lyon to avoid a third quick one.
– Tage Thompson has a couple big hits early but the Sabres will need their top goal scorer to do that, too. He hasn’t scored since Game 1 against the Bruins.
– 2-0 Canadiens. There’s 15:33 left in the first and Mike Matheson scores from the point for Montreal. Phillip Danault with a clean faceoff win, and Matheson beats Lyon over the goalie’s upper right shoulder.
– Sabres with another bad job getting out of the zone and forces Lyon to make a close-range save against Cole Caufield. Came right after Josh Doan and Josh Norris had a chance in front that wouldn’t go for Buffalo.
– Canadiens goal. Just 96 seconds into the game. Alex Newhook converts off a feed from Lane Hutson. The play started when Peyton Krebs slipped with the puck in his defensive zone. A bad mistake by Buffalo, and Alex Lyon nearly saved it but it trickled in. 1-0 Montreal.
Pregame
– Ryan Miller did indeed bang the drum. It’s hockey time.
– Puck drop will be about 7:10 p.m.
– A quick look back at the Sabres’ playoff history to read right here.
– A fun pregame spelling lesson on the name Sabres to read right here.
– The Sabres don’t announce who is going to bang their hype-up pregame drum ahead of time, but rumors point to legendary goalie Ryan Miller.
– While there were some calls for the Canadiens to consider a goalie change for Game 2, it appears it will indeed remain Jakub Dobes in net to oppose Buffalo’s Alex Lyon.
– Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said earlier Friday that if this was a Game 7, Sam Carrick could play. But for now, Buffalo is holding its midseason acquisition out of action as he recovers from injury.
