Alex Newhook and Mike Matheson scored early goals as the Montreal Canadiens will take a two-goal lead into the first intermission against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 2 of their second-round series.
The Canadiens will start the second period with 1:50 of power play time after Josh Doan was called for interference late in the period.
Newhook gave the Canadiens the lead 1:36 into the game when he parked himself in the slot and redirected a Kaiden Guhle shot off the pad of Alex Lyon and into the net. Lane Hutson got the second assist on the goal.
Matheson added to the lead just under three minutes later when his point shot found its way through the crowd and over the shoulder of a screened Lyon for his first of the playoffs. Phillip Danault got his second assist of the postseason on the marker.
It was a strong early response from the Canadiens after they fell behind 2-0 early in Game 1, before losing 4-2.
Alexandre Carrier was called for tripping at 7:34, giving the Sabres their first power play of the game after going 2-for-3 in Game 1. Montreal was able to successfully kill the penalty to maintain the two-goal lead.
The Canadiens got their first power play of the game shortly after killing the Carrier penalty, when Rasmus Dahlin was called for tripping, but were unable to convert.
After allowing four goals for the first time in these playoffs, Jakub Dobes had a strong first period, stopping all eight shots against him in the first frame. Alex Lyon turned aside eight of 10 shots.
