Not two words Montreal Canadiens fans wanted to hear after Saturday night.
Game 7.
Still, that’s where this series is headed after the Buffalo Sabers owned the final 40 minutes at the Bell Center.
After Rasmus Dahlin scored 32 seconds into the game, Montreal jumped out to the lead on the Buffalo Sabres, scoring three goals in the first period on the sticks of Arbor Zekhaj, Ivan Demidov and Jake Evans.
After Lindy Ruff picked off Ukka Pekka-Lukkonen in Game 6, they immediately pulled him for Alex Lyon after a Montreal barrage in the first period.
Hubbs convinced the crowd that it was over before it really even started. But a key high-sticking penalty from Mike Matheson helped the Sabers claw back a goal on the power play thanks to Jason Zucker, giving the game a 3–2 lead heading into the first intermission.
Only then can you feel the change in speed.
In the second the buffalo came out flying. Zach Benson tied it early, then Jack Quinn hit a snapshot on the power play to put them ahead. Consta Helenius added an insurance marker to give Buffalo its first and indefinite multi-goal lead of the game, sending Buffalo into the second intermission with a 5–3 lead.
All were subs in the third period. Quinn added his second power-play marker of the night, and Taj Thompson finished it with an empty-net goal.
Still, with the goaltender back in net for Buffalo, Zack Metsa scored his first in the playoffs, while the man added insult to injury by taking advantage late, leading Montreal to an 8–3 loss.
With a few minutes left in the third period, an uproar broke out and tempers flared. Six miscues between whistles were handed down to an extracurricular activity, making the appeal of Game 7 even stronger.
Buffalo dominated the shot clock 36-22 and owned special teams on Saturday night.
This was the reaction everyone in Western New York wanted after the Habs took on Don Buffalo on their field in Game 5, while Montreal fans were hoping to wrap up the series tonight.
Instead, the Canadiens’ early multi-goal lead vanished, and now they await a similar elimination to the Sabres.
The series heads back to KeyBank Center for Game 7 on Monday.
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