Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres up for a thrilling matchup – NHL Preview
Montreal Canadiens’ recent road trip has seen some shocking results and they are now certainly playing as spoilers after losing hopes of reaching the playoffs.
Their next target could be the Buffalo Sabres, who still have some chance of qualifying for the postseason. However, Sabres are also coming after a victory in their last game and will certainly look to build on the momentum.
Both sides are going to face each other in a National Hockey League (NHL) game on Monday, March 12, 2012, at First Niagara Center, Buffalo, New York.
Let’s have a look at both teams.
Canadiens
They have won three of the five games played this month and are currently on a two-game winning streak with the victories coming against Edmonton Oilers (5-3) and Vancouver Canucks (4-1).
Canadiens were very strong on defence against Canucks and did not allow any scoring move in the first period.
Canucks got the first scoring move of the game in the second period, but Canadiens provided the equaliser within the same period and added three more in the final without conceding any.
Canadiens’ goaltender, Carey Price, said after the game:
"We knew they were going to come out pretty hard in this building but we just kind of put up a barricade and didn't let them get in the inside.”
Canadiens are ranked at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 64 points after 69 games.
Sabres
Sabres have won four out of six games played this month with the recent victory coming against Ottawa Senators.
Sabres were one goal down after the first period, but they hit back in the second and scored twice while conceding one goal.
Both teams managed one goal each in the final period, forcing the game to overtime where no scoring move was made and hence shootout was called.
Sabres scored twice in the shootout while giving away one goal to win the game.
Sabres’ goaltender, Ryan Miller, said after the game:
"It was good to see us get pucks to the net, and we got a couple of nice bounces and that comes from just putting the puck in good areas. They all count and they were a little bit dirtier. We needed it."
Sabres are ranked at 10th spot in the Eastern Conference with 72 point after 69 games and are four points behind the eighth-ranked Washington Capitals.
Predictions
A close encounter is on the cards with both teams having equal chance of winning the game. The sum of goals scored by both teams might exceed six.
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