Buffalo's Power Play Woke Up at Exactly the Right Time, and Montreal Has No Answer

The Buffalo Sabres just took Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round series with a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, and here's the thing that should terrify Montreal: the Sabres' power play finally remembered how to score.

Buffalo went 2-for-3 with the man advantage in this one. That might not sound wild, but consider what came before it. Over their previous 13 games, the Sabres were 1-for-46 on the power play. One. For. Forty. Six. So when Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram both converted with the extra skater, it felt less like a Game 1 win and more like a door suddenly swinging wide open for Buffalo's playoffs.

Byram Making Postseason History

Byram's goal was the one that will stick around. His fourth of the postseason ties him with some serious franchise history. Mike Ramsey set the record for defensemen scoring in the playoffs back in 1983. Jason Woolley and Alexei Zhitnik both matched it in 1999. Now Byram is right there with them, and the Sabres are only one series in.

McLeod did his part too, collecting a goal and an assist. Josh Doan also chipped in with a goal and an assist, and Jordan Greenway added another. Alex Lyon stood tall in net with 26 saves for Buffalo.

Montreal's Offensive Answer Wasn't Enough

The Canadiens got one back through Selke Trophy finalist Nick Suzuki on the power play, and Kirby Dach also scored. Jakub Dobes made 12 saves in net. But Montreal's problem was clear early. Lane Hutson hit the post trying to open the scoring, then lost his footing at his own blue line, leading to a 3-on-1 that ended with Josh Doan's easy conversion at 4:31 of the first.

By the end, Montreal was outshootingBuffalo 11-1 in the third period, but they couldn't find a way through. That's the kind of detail that keeps playoff teams up at night.

The Sabres host Game 2 on Friday, and if that power play stays hot, Montreal's got serious problems.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.