Montreal Canadiens - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres blow leads in loss to Canadiens, on brink of elimination; Owen Power briefly leaves game injured

BUFFALO – Right now, things look bleak for the Sabres. After all, they’re staring down elimination following Thursday’s ugly 6-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

With a chance to go up 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, the Sabres blew three leads before the game hit the halfway mark in KeyBank Center. One lasted nine seconds.

They imploded in the second period, allowing three goals and forcing coach Lindy Ruff to pull goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.... Read the full article

After trade, long stretch sitting out as scratch, Luke Schenn adds to Sabres’ playoff run: ‘Just steady Eddie’

BUFFALO – In the press box recently, Sabres defenseman Luke Schenn said he was viewing his son Kingston’s hockey game in Kelowna, British, Columbia, on an app, when rookie Konsta Helenius asked who he was watching.

When Schenn, 36, told him his son, Helenius, 20, asked his age.

“I said, ‘9.’ He goes, ‘Well, I have a 10-year-old brother who I help out with hockey,’” Schenn said on Thursday prior to Game 5 of the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Conor Timmins misses skate, available to play; Lindy Ruff’s memories of Jason Pominville’s OT goal special

BUFFALO – When he dove into the some of the stats before the Sabres began their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens, coach Lindy Ruff said he found “everything was tight.”

Today, with the best-of-seven series tied at 2, Ruff said he feels that “everything is still tight.”

“Two really evenly matched teams,” Ruff said this morning after the Sabres prepared for Game 5 in KeyBank Center.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Konsta Helenius earns trust in playoff debut, generates offense: ‘Heck of a game’

BUFFALO – In the waning minutes of Tuesday’s 3-2 win in Montreal, with the Sabres clinging to a one-goal lead against the Canadiens, coach Lindy Ruff kept utilizing center Konsta Helenius at critical moments on hockey’s grandest stage.

Normally a rookie playing just his 10th NHL game and first in the Stanley Cup Playoffs would be nailed to the bench at that late juncture.

But Helenius, who turned 20 on Monday, quickly earned Ruff’s trust ... Read the full article

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff says Canadiens are ‘going down’ to sell penalties

BUFFALO – Whether the Sabres like it or not, coach Lindy Ruff said, officials will call what he described as “light penalties” both ways during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“We had some self-inflicted pain,” Ruff said after the Sabres gave the Montreal Canadiens six power plays in Tuesday’s 3-2 win in the Bell Centre. “And I think there’s a part of the game our players need to understand.”

Of course, Ruff also believes the Canadiens ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Zach Benson star as Sabres defeat Canadiens, even series: ‘Our belief never wavered’

MONTREAL – Last week, coach Lindy Ruff said he relayed a straightforward message to goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as he patiently waited for his next opportunity to play.

“Your time will come, you got to be ready,” Ruff told him.

At the time, with goalie Alex Lyon performing so dynamically, Luukkonen might’ve felt his next start would materialize in the distant future. But Ruff has relied on two, sometimes three netminders all season.... Read the full article

Plenty of changes: Sabres expected to start Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and insert veteran and rookie

MONTREAL – Based on their morning skate, the Buffalo Sabres plan to make three lineup changes tonight for Game 4 of their second-round series against the Canadiens, including switching goalies to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

After the losing the last two games by a combined score of 11-3, the Sabres, who trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, also plan to dress rookie center Konsta Helenius and veteran defenseman Luke Schenn, a two-time Stanley Cup winner who offers ... Read the full article

Even after two ugly losses, Sabres still in good shape against Canadiens: ‘I’m really confident in the group’

MONTREAL – It’s not just that the Buffalo Sabres lost two straight games to the Canadiens and fell behind in the best-of-seven series. Oh no. It’s how they dropped those contests.

The Canadiens throttled the Sabres in consecutive four-goal victories, outscoring them 11-3 to roar back and take a 2-1 lead.

Following Friday’s 5-1 home setback, the Sabres scored 53 seconds into Sunday’s ugly 6-2 loss at the raucous Bell Centre before imploding.... Read the full article

As struggling Sabres look for answers, Lindy Ruff could change lineup

MONTREAL – In October, just a few games into the season, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff might offer little or no information about his lineup. So right now, in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he’s not going to divulge anything.

The Sabres, having fallen behind 2-1 to the Canadiens in the best-of-seven series and been outscored 11-3 in losing the last two games, might be ready to change some things for Game 4 ... Read the full article

Sabres implode after fast start in loss to Canadiens, fall behind in series: ‘Some adversity for us’

MONTREAL – Center Tage Thompson sat at his stall on Sunday, sounding unshaken as he calmly answered questions from a throng of reporters following the Buffalo Sabres’ ugly 6-2 loss to the Canadiens.

In losing by four goals for the second consecutive game, the Sabres fell behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round series.

In the Canadiens, the Sabres, the NHL’s best team over the last five months, have possibly met their match.... Read the full article