Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon has yet to allow more than two goals in the five games he's started these playoffs since taking over for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins.
He recorded 26 saves in Game 1 on Wednesday night - the second-most from him these playoffs - forcing the Habs to have their first game of the playoffs decided by more than one goal.
Game 2 between the Sabres and Canadiens is scheduled for Friday, May 8th.
Recap & Highlights
It took no more than 30 seconds for the first penalty of the game and no more than five minutes to see the first change on the scoreboard.
After the Sabres weren't able to get anything done on the game's first power play, Josh Doan scored his second goal of the playoffs to put Buffalo up 1-0, with assists from Zach Benson (2).
Benson became just the fourth player in Sabres history to record consecutive multi-point games at age 20 or younger.
Despite failing on their first power play attempt, Buffalo wouldn't be denied on their second chance as they improved to just 2-for-26 in the playoffs.
Doan (3) and Benson (3) would record the assist on Ryan McLeod's first goal of the playoffs as Buffalo took a 2-0 lead.
It was McLeod's eighth career playoff goal and his first since the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals when he was a member of the Edmonton Oilers.
Six minutes later, the Canadiens would strike on their first power play of the game after Buffalo's Rasmus Dahlin was called for interference.
Nick Suzuki scored his second of the playoffs to cut the lead in half, 2-1, as Juraj Slafkovsky (1) and Ivan Demidov (2) picked up the assists.
The Captain became just the second player in the past 25 years of Habs history to record at least one point in the team's five straight opening road playoff games, joining Scott Gomez, who had a six-game streak in 2010.
Buffalo would start the second period just as they did the first - with two straight goals.
The first came from Jordan Greenway, who scored his first of the playoffs and his first since 2022 when he was on the Minnesota Wild, to make it 3-1 with an assist from Mattias Samuelsson, his first of the playoffs.
Things would start to get out of hand before the halfway mark of the period when Buffalo would increase their lead on their third power play of the night, now 3-for-27.
Bowen Byram tied the franchise record for most playoff goals by a defenseman after scoring his fourth of the playoffs on an assist from McLeod (2) as the Sabres took a 4-1 lead.
With his goal, it would mark the fourth time in six games these playoffs that the Sabres scored at least four goals.
Seconds after Byram's goal, the Habs had an opportunity once again to slash the lead in half with their second power play of the game, but failed to capitalize.
However, Kirby Dach would score his third of the playoffs to do just that in even strength to make it 4-2 with under four minutes to go in the second.
Zachary Bolduc recorded his fourth assist.
Despite Buffalo being outshot 11-1 in the third period, they still managed to nab Game 1 from the Canadiens.
Montreal outshot Buffalo 28-16, while also outhitting them 31-27. They are 9-23 in their franchise's playoff history when trailing 1-0 after starting the series on the road.
Meanwhile, Buffalo are 9-3 all-time in playoff series when leading 1-0 as the home team to start.