Here are my three takeaways from Montreal’s 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
1 - Buffalo is a different animal
The Montreal Canadiens coming out flat after an emotional Game 7 win in Tampa Bay was predictable. That’s often the reality when you jump from one series straight into another.
But beyond that, this is just a completely different matchup. A seven-game series is all about adjustments, and Montreal is quickly learning that round two against Buffalo will look nothing like what they dealt with in the first round.
The Sabres play a much more north-south game, and the Canadiens didn’t have answers. They gave up too much space, and the defence backed off far too easily. A prime example was Alex Carrier on the Jordan Greenway goal.
Martin St. Louis has said repeatedly that his team is comfortable playing any style. Now we’ll see how they adapt.
2 - Sabres power play wakes up at the worst time
There’s no way to sugarcoat it - Buffalo’s power play had been struggling badly coming into this game.
The Sabres had just one power-play goal in the entire month of April. They were 1-for-46 over their previous 13 games, then scored twice with the man advantage in Game 1.
It wasn’t even their top unit doing most of the damage, as they’ve had trouble simply gaining the zone with control. Instead, they capitalized on a favourable bounce for the first goal and a great read and shot by Bowen Byram on the second.
It doesn’t matter how they go in. The Sabres’ power play made a difference, and if it starts to build confidence, it could become a real problem for Montreal.
3 - Habs have to unlock Demidov
The Canadiens won’t win this series if they don’t get more from Cole Caufield and Ivan Demidov.
Demidov did pick up an assist on a smart play to Juraj Slafkovsky along the goal line, but outside of that, he’s been quiet and it’s not entirely on him. There’s a clear gap in Montreal’s top six, and they need a more creative player to support him.
Jake Evans doesn’t have the offensive profile for that role. So what are the options?
Martin St. Louis could bring Oliver Kapanen back into the lineup and try to rekindle the chemistry that helped him score 22 goals as a rookie. It didn’t produce much against Tampa Bay, but this is a different series.
The other option is Kirby Dach. When Montreal acquired him, the vision was for him to center that second line in an offensive role. He’s had his ups and downs, but he does have the skill to complement Demidov.
Dach is tied for the team lead in goals through eight playoff games. At some point, it’s worth seeing what that combination looks like.
