Kyle Okposo was the first to hit the target. The striker beat Samuel Montembeault with a powerful shot as his team moved into the power game.
Seconds earlier, Jake Evans had a good chance of getting into the scoring by coming alone against Craig Anderson, but the veteran pushed him back.
Zemgus Girgensons later doubled the home team’s lead by dismissing Kevin Miller from the Blue Line. Latvia scored on his return, having missed the entirety of last season due to injury.
At the start of the second half, Dominique Ducharme’s men quickly got a chance to cut the difference as two Sabers players were in the penalty area. However, as was the case the day before against the Maple Leafs, the power game proved anemic.
However, Chris Weidman was able to overpower Craig Anderson moments later, as he was forgotten at the mouth of the net after pressing on the attack. He then got a pass from Joel Jeremiah to push the disc into an open cage.
This is the defender’s first goal in Bleu-blanc-rouge uniform. It was also the Canadian’s first hit in over 80 minutes.
Buffalo resumed his priority in two-goal force play through defector Victor Olofsson. From the top of the circuits, the Swede had all the time to beat the Montreal goalkeeper with a perfect shot.
Less than a minute before the end of the second half, Anders Björk reclaimed a record-breaking net against Montembolt to make it 4-1.
Montembeault plays his first game for the Montreal Canadiens. The Becancourt goalkeeper, who claimed concession on 2 October, stopped 8 of the 10 shots that targeted him during the first clash. He stood out by blocking Vinny Hinostrosa who slipped away shortly after Weidmann’s goal.
After two periods:
- Lancer: BUF 24, MTL 21
- Showdowns: BUF 49%, MTL 51%
- Checks: BUF 8, MTL 16
- Kick-off minutes: BUF 8, MTL 10
This is the first time a Quebecer has defended the Montreal cage since Marc Denis in 2009.
Former Cypress captain Jacques Eichel is still evident by his absence. This person failed the medical examination, on the edge of his family’s training camp, and was put on the list of the wounded. The organization and the central player are in the midst of a dispute over how to treat a herniated disc in the neck.
The Cypresses finished last season with the worst NHL record, with just 15 wins in 56 games.
