Canadiens lose 4-2 to Sabres in second-round playoff opener
Updated
Updated · Montreal Gazette · May 7
Canadiens lose 4-2 to Sabres in second-round playoff opener
8 articles · Updated · Montreal Gazette · May 7
At Buffalo's KeyBank Center, Montreal fell behind 2-0 in the first period as Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod scored, while rookie goalie Jakub Dobes allowed four goals on 16 shots.
Buffalo also struck twice on three power plays after going 1-for-46 in April, with Lane Hutson's early penalty and turnover helping set the tone despite Montreal's stronger third period.
Montreal, coming off a seven-game first-round upset of Tampa Bay, is now 4-4 in the playoffs and faces pressure to level the series in Friday's Game 2.
Is Montreal's rookie goaltender a one-series wonder, or can he recover from his Game 1 collapse?
Did a bizarre travel schedule doom the Canadiens, or are the Sabres simply the better team?
After ending a 14-year drought, are the Sabres now the new powerhouse of the Eastern Conference?