Patrik Laine hat trick, killer power play, and more: 3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens pounded Buffalo Sabres 6-1

Modified Dec 18, 2024 03:41 GMT

NHL: Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens - Source: Imagn — Patrik Laine hat trick, killer power play, and more: 3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens pounded Buffalo Sabres 6-1 - Source: Imagn

The Montreal Canadiens pounded the Buffalo Sabres 6-1 on Tuesday night. With the win, the Habs handed the Sabres their 11th straight loss. Meanwhile, the Habs snapped a two-game skid to leapfrog the Sabres out of the Atlantic Division cellar.

Patrik Laine had a whale of a game, notching a hat trick. Joel Armia, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Josh Anderson had the other tallies for the Montreal Canadiens. Meanwhile, Dylan Cozens got the Sabres on the board.

So, here’s a closer look at the three main reasons why the Montreal Canadiens pounded the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.

3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens blew out Buffalo Sabres

#3 Montembeault strong in the crease

Montreal Canadiens starting netminder Samuel Montembeault had a strong game on Tuesday night. He stopped 20 shots, backstopping the Habs to their 11th win of the season.

It’s worth pointing out that Montembeault has been somewhat inconsistent this season. Nevertheless, he’s bounced back relatively well following a six-goal shellacking against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 12.

Aside from that unfortunate performance, Montembeault has been reasonably solid for the Canadiens over his last five games.

#2 Killer power play

The Habs’ power play smelled the blood in the water against the Sabres. The Montreal Canadiens went 3-for-6 with the man advantage, making the Sabres pay for their lack of discipline on the ice.

With the three power-play tallies, the Canadiens should climb up the leaderboard. The club entered the game against the Sabres ranked 18th in the league with a 20.2% rating on the power play.

The three-goal outburst from Patrik Laine bodes well for a team looking to take the next step in their rebuild.

#3 Patrik Laine hat trick

Speaking of taking the next step, Patrik Laine had a whale of a game, registering his best game of the season.

Most importantly, Laine’s hat trick came on the strength of three power-play goals. That performance is fantastic for a player who’s looking to bounce back after a rough last couple of seasons.

Laine now has seven points in seven games since returning from a knee injury suffered during the preseason. As such, there is little reason to believe that Laine isn’t back to his old self.

The Canadiens will get a chance to savor their victory before taking on the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night at the Little Caesars Arena.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Brad Taningco