PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY >> PERFECT 7-0 Thursday!
(NHL) Montreal vs. Buffalo,
Money Line: -108.00 Montreal (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -108.00 Montreal (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: It's quite a disappointing season for Montreal, after the Canadiens won the Atlantic Division last year with 103 points. Montreal has dropped four games in a row and nine of its last 10 (1-7-2), to fall to 26-36-12 (64 points) on the season. The Canadiens are only six points out of the cellar in the Atlantic Division and could inch closer when they visit the last-place Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. The 23-38-12 Sabres (58 points) are coming off a 4-1 home loss to Arizona that lifted the Coyotes out of last place in the Western Conference.
Montreal: The Canadiens own the worst road record in the NHL at 9-24-4 and Wednesday's 5-3 loss at Pittsburgh marked the team's seventh consecutive defeat away from home. Goalie Carey Price returned from a month-long absence against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs (he made 34 saves) but he will sit Friday in favor of backup Antti Niemi, who has allowed two goals or fewer in five of his last six starts. Rookie Nikita Scherbak scored a short-handed goal against the Penguins, the fourth goal in the last 12 games for the 2014 first-round pick. Montreal avergaes only 2.47 GPG (29th of 31 teams) and has just one player with as many as 20 goals. That's LW Brendan Gallagher, whose 26 goals and modest 45 points are both team highs.
Buffalo: The Sabres come in having lost four of their last five games, scoring four goals in the four defeats. Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Arizona came days after another sad-sack effort in a 4-0 shutout loss to Nashville at home. The Sabres got an initial boost from the return of top center Jack Eichel last weekend, picking up a victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. However, things were back to normal against Arizona and Nashville. Eichel leads the Sabres in scoring with 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) in 58 games. Ryan O'Reilly is second on the team with 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 72 games.
Montreal: Yes, the Canadiens own the NHL's worst road record but they have won all three meetings against Buffalo this season. Also note that Antti Niemi, in goal tonight for Montreal, has allowed two goals or fewer in five of his last six starts. Add to that the fact that Buffalo's "main man" (Jack Eichel) has zero goals and four assists in 11 games versus the Canadiens and it's not much of a leap to play the Canadiens in this one. In fact, make Montreal a 10* play.
Montreal: The Canadiens own the worst road record in the NHL at 9-24-4 and Wednesday's 5-3 loss at Pittsburgh marked the team's seventh consecutive defeat away from home. Goalie Carey Price returned from a month-long absence against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs (he made 34 saves) but he will sit Friday in favor of backup Antti Niemi, who has allowed two goals or fewer in five of his last six starts. Rookie Nikita Scherbak scored a short-handed goal against the Penguins, the fourth goal in the last 12 games for the 2014 first-round pick. Montreal avergaes only 2.47 GPG (29th of 31 teams) and has just one player with as many as 20 goals. That's LW Brendan Gallagher, whose 26 goals and modest 45 points are both team highs.
Buffalo: The Sabres come in having lost four of their last five games, scoring four goals in the four defeats. Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Arizona came days after another sad-sack effort in a 4-0 shutout loss to Nashville at home. The Sabres got an initial boost from the return of top center Jack Eichel last weekend, picking up a victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. However, things were back to normal against Arizona and Nashville. Eichel leads the Sabres in scoring with 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) in 58 games. Ryan O'Reilly is second on the team with 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 72 games.
Montreal: Yes, the Canadiens own the NHL's worst road record but they have won all three meetings against Buffalo this season. Also note that Antti Niemi, in goal tonight for Montreal, has allowed two goals or fewer in five of his last six starts. Add to that the fact that Buffalo's "main man" (Jack Eichel) has zero goals and four assists in 11 games versus the Canadiens and it's not much of a leap to play the Canadiens in this one. In fact, make Montreal a 10* play.
