Buffalo Sabres – Montreal Canadiens Game Preview
12/17/24 – 7:00 pm EST at Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec
Record
Buffalo – 11-16-4 | 26 points – 7th place in the Atlantic Division
Montreal – 11-6-3 | 25 points – 8th place in the Atlantic Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 14.6% (30th)
Penalty Kill – 79.0% (18th)
Montreal
Power Play – 20.2% (18th)
Penalty Kill – 80.2% (15th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 26 GP, 16 G, 9 A, 25 PTS
Alex Tuch: 31 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 PTS
Jason Zucker: 31 GP, 8 G, 13 A, 21 PTS
Montreal
Nick Suzuki: 30 GP, 11 G, 19 A, 30 PTS
Cole Caufield: 30 GP, 17 G, 10 A, 27 PTS
Lane Hutson: 30 GP, 1 G, 19 A, 20 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (8-9-3, 2.80 GAA, .903 save %)
Montreal – Samuel Montembeault (9-13-2, 3.01 GAA, .900 save %)
Line Combinations and Pairings (projected)
Buffalo
Forwards
Zach Benson– Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
JJ Peterka - Dylan Cozens - Jack Quinn
Jiri Kulich - Ryan McLeod - Jason Zucker
Beck Malenstyn - Peyton Krebs - Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Defense
Bowen Byram - Henri Jokiharju
Mattias Samuelsson - Owen Power
Jacob Bryson - Dennis Gilbert
Ex. Ryan Johnson - Connor Clifton
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
James Reimer
Injuries
Rasmus Dahlin (day-to-day – back spasms)
Jordan Greenway (day-to-day – mid-body)
Sam Lafferty (IR – lower body)
Notes
Buffalo’s 136 victories over Montreal all-time are the most against any single team in franchise history. The Sabres have earned at least one point in three of their last four games against the Canadiens (2-1-1). Buffalo has earned a win in four of its last five road contests against Montreal (4-1-0).
Tage Thompson has tallied seven points (5+2) in his last seven games, including one point in each of his last four games. A point in tonight’s game would give Thompson his second point streak of five or more games this season (Oct. 12 to Nov. 1; eight games; 6+6) and the 10th of his career.
Thompson has recorded 10 points (4+6) in his last six games against Montreal, including at least one point in each of his last four against the Canadiens. A point in tonight’s game would make Thompson the first Sabres skater since Jack Eichel from Nov. 8, 2018 to Jan. 30, 2020 (five games; 4+7) to record a point streak of five or more games against Montreal.
Bowen Byram has recorded one assist in three consecutive games. Byram would earn the longest assist streak of his career with an assist in tonight’s game.
Jason Zucker has registered seven points (3+4) in his last seven games.
In his last three games, JJ Peterka has notched three assists.
In his last nine games against Montreal, Alex Tuch has recorded 13 points (2+11). Tuch has posted at least one point in three consecutive games against the Canadiens (1+4).
Dylan Cozens has posted at least one point in back-to-back games against the Canadiens (1+2).
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