GAME THREAD: NHL: BUFFALO (5-7) at MONTREAL (7-6)

NHL: BUFFALO (5-7) at MONTREAL (7-6)

<h3>Canadiens aim to continue recent offensive surge</h3>

Buffalo (5-6-1) at Montreal (7-3-3) 7:30 pm EST


MONTREAL (Ticker) - The Montreal Canadiens struggled on offenseuntil they met the Buffalo Sabres for the first time thisseason. They hope another meeting with the Sabres doesn't stoptheir newfound rhythm.


The Canadiens end their four-game homestand when they welcomeBuffalo into the Bell Centre on Monday.


Montreal was unable to score more than three goals in any of itsfirst six games until they recorded a 4-2 victory over Buffaloon October 20. Since that game, the Canadiens have reeled off29 goals over the next seven games, scoring four or more goalsfour times.


One of the few times lately that Montreal did not score at leastfour goals recently was Saturday's 3-2 loss against the TorontoMaple Leafs - the Canadiens' lone loss in regulation in thelast seven games.


The loss was the second setback by that same score - theydropped Tuesday's contest to Atlanta Thrashers in overtime -during a four-game stretch of home games. The Canadiens' lonewin was a 5-2 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

Four goals has also been the magic number for the Sabres lately,allowing that number of goals in each of their two losses afterscoring four in two previous wins. Friday's 4-2 loss to theFlorida Panthers was the most recent example of thatphenomenon for Buffalo, which has lost five of its last sevencontests.


However, in a bit of good news, the Sabres did welcome backgoaltender - and ex-Canadien - Jocelyn Thibault, who posted 20saves in just his second start of the season and first action innearly three weeks.

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL AT MONTREAL
STARTING GOALIES: BUF - RYAN MILLER
MON - CRISTOBAL HUET

OFFICIALS: REF - ERIC FURLATT, MIKE HASENFRATZ
LIN - DEREK AMELL, SCOTT CHERRY</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">BUFFALO VS MONTREAL - SCRATCHES

BUFFALO MONTREAL

J SPACEK SHOULDER F BOUILLON SHOULDER
D KALININ KNEE INJURY G MURRAY ANKLE INJURY</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">BUFFALO VS MONTREAL - SCRATCHES

BUFFALO MONTREAL

J SPACEK SHOULDER F BOUILLON SHOULDER
N PRATT HEALTHY G MURRAY ANKLE INJURY
M RYAN HEALTHY M GRABOVSKI HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 16:15 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 11:43 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 7:53 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 3:45 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
BUFFALO 0 0
MONTREAL 0 0 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NONE

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
BUF 16 16
MON 8 8

GOALIES: BUF - RYAN MILLER
MON - CRISTOBAL HUET</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------
Buffalo 0 --0
Montreal 0 --0
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: P Gaustad, Buf (tripping), 3:05; D Roy, Buf
(interference), 12:07.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Buffalo 16 --16
Montreal 8 --8
-----------------------------

Goalies : Buffalo, Ryan Miller (8 shots, 8 saves). Montreal, Cristobal
Huet (16 shots, 16 saves). Referees: Eric Furlatt, Mike Hasenfratz.
Linesmen: Derek Amell, Scott Cherry.</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 15:24 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 12:12 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 0 7:29 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 1
2ND PRD: MON - TOMAS PLEKANEC 4 (ANDREI KOSTITSYN, ANDREI MARKOV)
13:06</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 1 5:05 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL BUFFALO 0
MONTREAL 1 3:35 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
BUFFALO 0 0 0
MONTREAL 0 1 1 END OF THE 2ND

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NONE
2ND PRD: MON - TOMAS PLEKANEC 4 (ANDREI KOSTITSYN, ANDREI MARKOV)
13:06

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
BUF 16 4 20
MON 8 9 17

GOALIES: BUF - RYAN MILLER
MON - CRISTOBAL HUET</div>

 

NHL: BUFFALO at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------------
Buffalo 0 0 --0
Montreal 0 1 --1
------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: P Gaustad, Buf (tripping), 3:05; D Roy, Buf
(interference), 12:07.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Tomas Plekanec 4 (Andrei
Kostitsyn, Andrei Markov), 13:06. Penalties: R Hamrlik, Mon
(interference), 14:55.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------
Buffalo 16 4 --20
Montreal 8 9 --17
----------------------------------

Goalies : Buffalo, Ryan Miller (17 shots, 16 saves). Montreal,
Cristobal Huet (20 shots, 20 saves). Referees: Eric Furlatt, Mike
Hasenfratz. Linesmen: Derek Amell, Scott Cherry.</div>