The Habs begin a four-game, six-night series tonight in Buffalo.
• Also read: If I had to do it over again, would Juraj Slafkovsky still be the first pick in the 2022 draft?
Here are five things to keep in mind about this match.
1. A second straight start for Jake Allen
Based on his brilliant performance against the Washington Capitals on Saturday, Jake Allen will be in front of the Canadian’s goal for the second consecutive game. In 11 starts against the Sabres, Allen had a 7-3-1 record, a 2.31 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage.
Martin St-Louis: “He played very well against the Capitals. He gave us the chance to win. He deserves another start. »
2. Caufield’s touch
Cole Caufield picked up where he left off last year when a shoulder injury ended his season. The star forward scored at least one point in each of the Canadiens’ first four games and found the net in three of them. A point tonight would allow him to reach 90 since the start of his career (127). In the last 25 years, only Michael Ryder in Montreal (118 games) reached this plateau faster.
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Photo Martin Chevalier
3. Same training
Martin St-Louis will not make any changes to his training. That means Joel Armia, who was recalled on Friday, will watch a second game from the bridge.
Getty Images via AFP
4. Sabers Youth
If the Canadian is the second youngest team in the Bettman circuit, the Sabers won’t be left out. Mattias Samuelsson (23), Rasmus Dahlin (23), Dylan Cozens (22) and Owen Power (20) are all 23 years old and younger. In addition, everyone is under contract until at least the end of the 2029-2030 season. So the future at “Beau Fleuve” is promising.
Rasmus Dahlin: “I really wanted to sign a long-term contract because I believe in what we are doing here. It’s such a good group. It will be fun to be able to build something with them. I believe we can do something great. »
Getty Images via AFP
5. Jeff Skinner has the Canadian’s number
If there’s one player in the Bettman scene who loves going up against the Canadian, it’s Jeff Skinner. The 31-year-old forward has had nights with more than one point against the Habs 11 times throughout his career. He even collected five twice. It was February 13, 2022 (4 goals, 1 assist) and November 22, 2022 (2 goals, 3 assists).