Habs have plenty to prove as they look to bounce back in Buffalo

BUFFALO — The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres are the two youngest teams left in the Stanley Cup playoffs. They have more in common than just their average age.

“Fast, hungry teams,” said Canadiens defenceman Kaiden Guhle during a media session at the team hotel on Friday morning. “Both got something to prove. They haven’t been in the playoffs in a long time and they had a great season this year. They got something to prove to themselves and to the league and it will be a good series.”

The Sabres are in the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The Canadiens made it last year, but lost in the first round. So, what does Montreal have to prove?

“That we’re here,” said Guhle. “We don’t want to just be a team that wins a round or two and then you get booted every year. We want to prove that we’re here right now and want to show the league and the world that.”

Friday night represents a big moment in that mission as the Canadiens look to even up the second-round series in Buffalo. Montreal was not at its best in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss in Game 1, but the team can draw confidence from how they bounced back in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“Every time we lost we responded well and gonna have to do that tonight,” Guhle said. “We’ve always responded and [in] certain situations where maybe we’ve got knocked down or kicked down, we’ve always responded well so not worried about that at all.”

The Canadiens responded to every Lightning win with a win of their own in the first round.

“We’ve been together now for four years,” said Montreal coach Martin St. Louis. “I think we’re very process driven. Whether we win or lose, we always feel like we turn the page.”

Montreal has not lost consecutive games since March 14-15.

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Montreal is confident that Lane Hutson will be able to turn the page after the defenceman called himself out for a trip and turnover that led to Buffalo’s opening goal on Wednesday.

“Everyone is going to have a random fall, and it just sucks that it went in the back of the net,” said Canadiens centre Jake Evans. “But I think every single guy in this locker room could say they could’ve taken it up to that next level last game and they didn’t. It speaks to him, though. He’s a competitor. He loves the game and he wants to have a huge impact out there. He does so many great things for us so I’m sure he’ll be great tonight.”

“I don’t hate it,” St. Louis said of Hutson being hard on himself. “He’s a competitor. He’s hungry, passionate. I feel he’s giving you guys a lot of time and I always feel like he’s being honest with how he sees it.”

How does Hutson usually respond to his rare miscues?

“I mean, you can always count on Lane,” St. Louis said succinctly.

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Cole Caufield will be looking to snap a season-long four-game point drought. After potting 51 goals in the regular season, the Rocket Richard Trophy runner-up has scored just once through eight playoff games.

“He always answers,” Evans assured. “Again, another guy that loves the game. A big competitor and no one needs to be hard on him because he’s already hard on himself and he wants to win so badly. He had a lot of pressure to score that 50th and he did it. Again, another guy I’m really excited to watch tonight.”

After being the last player on the ice at Thursday’s optional practice, Caufield was asked if his mindset now is similar to when he was chasing goal No. 50.

“No,” he said. “I mean, I’m chasing two right now so it’s a little bit different. Obviously we’re just chasing wins. That’s the moral of the story.”

Like Hutson, Caufield took accountability on Thursday in saying his game is not where he wants it to be.

“He’s always been there, always scored big goals for us,” Guhle said. “Obviously right now maybe not where he wants it to be but I don’t think anyone is worried. All it takes is one and the floodgates will open for him.”

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The Canadiens will look to stay out of the penalty box after the much-maligned Sabres power play showed signs of life by going 2/3 in Game 1.

Agitating winger Zach Benson drew a first-period tripping penalty on Hutson and is tied for second in the playoffs with nine drawn calls.

“He’s a skilled player,” Guhle observed. “He’s a rat. I’ve played against him in junior and he battles hard. He’s a good player. He had a good game in Game 1, so try and limit him.”

Benson picked up two assists and was named the first star in Game 1.

“His ability to read the situation and read people and understand the game is high,” said Sabres goalie Alex Lyon. “There’s an art to his madness. I don’t necessarily know he wants to let people believe that. He definitely knows what he’s doing.”

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No lineup changes are expected by either team in Game 2.