4 things that stood out in Sabres lopsided loss to Canadiens
Game 2 was a complete mess for the Sabres as they were blown out 5-1 and now their second-round series is tied 1-1 as the teams head to Montreal.
The Buffalo Sabres ’ second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens has begun eerily similar to their first-round series against the Boston Bruins , but based on what we’ve seen thus far, it may not end the same way. The Sabres were outplayed by Boston for most of Game 1 before waking up just in time and pulling off a stunning third-period rally to steal the victory, then played poorly and got worked over by the Bruins in losing Game 2. Wednesday, Montreal had the better of the play for much of the night at KeyBank Center but the Sabres came out on top 4-2, and then in Game 2 Friday, the Canadiens completely dominated Buffalo and rolled to a 5-1 victory to even the series.
“We’re 1-1 right now,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after the game. “We’re pretty well in the same place we were in the last series. And I said before Game 1, this is going to be a very difficult series.
They just beat a heck of a (Tampa Bay) team. We need to handle the puck better and put it in the right spot at the right time. ” Ruff is right, the series is even, but he also hit on the key difference: Montreal is much better than Boston.
The Sabres were clearly the more talented team in the first round and it showed when they went into Boston and had their way in Games 3 and 4 to grab firm control. This time, they are not more talented than their opponent; at best they’re even, and going into Montreal and dealing with that incredible atmosphere at the Bell Centre is going to be a titanic test, and you have to wonder if this young postseason newbie team will be able to answer the way it did against Boston. “Tomorrow’s a big day,” Rasmus Dahlin said of the upcoming practice before they fly to Montreal for Sunday’s Game 3.
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