Canadiens beat Sabres 5-1 as Alex Newhook scores twice to tie series 1-1
BUFFALO, N. Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook had two goals, again providing Montreal with some much-needed secondary scoring, and the Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-1 on Friday night to even their second-round playoff series at one game apiece.
Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki, with an empty-netter, also scored for the Canadiens. Rookie goalie Jakub Dobes made 27 saves, and Montreal extended its trend of alternating wins and losses after doing so in a seven-game first-round series win over Tampa Bay. Montreal advanced to the second round on Newhook’s game-winner 11:07 into the third period of a 2-1 series-clinching win on Sunday .
Meantime, the Canadiens’ top offensive threats continue to struggle. Cole Caufield extended his point drought to five games, while Juraj Slafkovsky has one assist in his past eight outings. Zach Benson scored for Buffalo, but Alex Lyon allowed four goals on 27 shots.
He previously allowed seven goals in six-plus appearances since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was was pulled after two periods in a 4-2 loss to Boston in Game 2 of their first-round series. The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Sunday night. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6, DUCKS 2 ANAHEIM, Calif.
(AP) — Mitch Marner had three goals and an assist in his first career playoff hat trick, and Vegas routed Anaheim to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round series. Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Brayden McNabb scored a short-handed goal as the Golden Knights stormed to a 5-0 lead after two periods, silencing a sellout crowd in Orange County and erasing memories of their rough offensive outing in Game 2 . Carter Hart made 30 saves as Vegas moved halfway to the Western Conference finals while sending the upstart Ducks to the worst loss of their first postseason in eight years.