BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — Cole Caufield scored twice in the third period as the Montreal Canadiens rallied for a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at KeyBank Center. Juraj Slafkovsky gave Montreal a first-period lead before Buffalo’s Owen Power and Noah Ostlund scored in the second. Caufield tied it 12:14 into the third and netted the winner at 10:13. Oliver Kapanen added an empty-netter. Jakub Dobes made 36 saves for the Canadiens, who won their third straight. Attendance was 19,070. Montreal improved to 31-24. Buffalo fell to 31-23.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — Cole Caufield scored twice in the third period to erase a one-goal deficit and propel the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at KeyBank Center. The win was Montreal’s third straight and avenged a home loss to the Sabres just nine days prior. It also pulled the Canadiens even with Buffalo in the standings, as Montreal improved to 31-24 while the Sabres fell to 31-23. A crowd of 19,070 saw the Canadiens strike first. On a first-period power play, Juraj Slafkovsky netted his 21st goal of the season, converting a wrist shot from the slot with assists from Nick Suzuki and Caufield at the 11:20 mark. Montreal carried that 1-0 lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 15-9, thanks to 15 saves from goaltender Jakub Dobes. Buffalo seized control in the second period, tying the game and then taking the lead. Defenseman Owen Power evened the score at 1-1 with a wrist shot at 14:36, assisted by Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. Later in the frame, with the Sabres applying sustained pressure, rookie Noah Ostlund gave Buffalo its first lead. His slap shot from the high slot at 16:58 beat Dobes, with Alex Tuch and Ryan McLeod earning the helpers. The Sabres took their 2-1 advantage into the third period, but Caufield needed just over two minutes to draw Montreal level. He deflected a Noah Dobson point shot past Buffalo netminder Alex Lyon at 2:14, with Lane Hutson collecting the secondary assist. Caufield then delivered the game-winner midway through the period. After a strong forecheck by the Canadiens, Suzuki won a puck battle along the boards and fed Caufield in the right circle. The winger from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, snapped a quick wrist shot for his 32nd goal of the season at 10:13, with Kirby Dach also assisting. The Sabres pushed for an equalizer, pulling Lyon for an extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining, but Montreal sealed the victory with an empty-net goal. Oliver Kapanen intercepted a clearing attempt and fired into the vacant net from his own zone with 2:48 left for his 17th of the year. Dobes was stellar in net for Montreal, turning aside 36 of 38 shots for the win. Lyon made 30 saves on 33 shots for Buffalo in the loss. Montreal’s top line of Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky combined for six points. Caufield finished with two goals and an assist, Suzuki had two assists, and Slafkovsky added a goal and a game-high seven shots on net. Defenseman Noah Dobson contributed an assist, four shots and two hits for the Canadiens. For Buffalo, Thompson had an assist and five shots, while Power scored a goal and put six shots on target. The Sabres’ power play went 0 for 4, while Montreal converted on one of its two opportunities with the man advantage. The result defied pregame projections, as statistical models heavily favored the Sabres at home. Buffalo had been installed as a 1.5-goal favorite, and the total of six goals surpassed the over/under line of 6.5. Montreal continues its road trip Monday in Minnesota, while Buffalo heads to Florida to face the Panthers on Monday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Buffalo Sabres, riding a wave of offensive firepower, will host the Montreal Canadiens in a key Eastern Conference matchup Saturday night at KeyBank Center. The Sabres (30-22-0) enter on a three-game winning streak, having outscored opponents 16-6 in that span. Their attack is led by defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who is coming off a historic five-point performance (three goals, two assists) in Tuesday’s 7-4 road victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dahlin has been dominant against Montreal this season, recording points in both meetings and helping Buffalo to two wins. The Canadiens (29-24-0) look to snap a two-game skid against the Sabres this season, having lost 5-3 in Buffalo on Jan. 15 and 4-2 at home on Jan. 22. Montreal is coming off a 3-2 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, where goaltender Jakub Dobes shined with 32 saves. Dobes, who also backstopped a 6-3 win over Vancouver on Jan. 12, will be a player to watch as Montreal seeks to stifle Buffalo’s high-scoring lineup. Buffalo holds the edge in the season series, winning two of three contests. The Canadiens’ lone victory was a 4-2 decision on Oct. 20. The game pits two teams jockeying for playoff positioning. The Sabres’ recent surge has been fueled by consistent scoring, while the Canadiens have shown resilience, with four of their last eight games decided in overtime. Following this contest, both teams embark on road trips. Montreal travels to face the Minnesota Wild on Monday, while Buffalo heads to Florida for a back-to-back set against the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.