BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Sabres were unable to sustain their momentum on a quick trip to Montreal.
Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson scored in the third period to lead the Canadiens in a 4-2 win on Monday night at Bell Centre. Oliver Kapanan also had a goal, Jake Evans scored an empty netter, and Jakub Dobes made 29 saves for the Habs.
Following consecutive home wins, the Sabres dropped to 2-4-0, with losses in both road games they have played this season.
Alex Lyon stopped 27 of 30 shots for Buffalo, posting a save percentage in the .900s for the fifth time in six starts this season, while Jiri Kulich and Tyson Kozak scored goals in a game the Sabres never held a lead and trailed for almost 40 minutes of play.
Kulich got the tying goal for Buffalo at 6:51 into the second period. Zach Benson recorded his team-leading sixth assist on the goal. After missing the start of the season because of a face injury, Benson joined Jack Eichel in 2020 and Thomas Vanek in 2012 as the only Sabres to have six assists in the first three games of the season.
Dahlin got his fifth assist on Kozak’s goal in the third period after Montreal had taken a 3-1 lead.
Rochester Americans captain Zach Metsa made his NHL debut at age 27 after getting called up earlier on Monday and was on the ice for Kulich’s goal. Metsa filled in for third-pair defenseman Jacob Bryson, who sustained a concussion in Saturday’s game.
The Sabres return home to play the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.