Montreal won because a 2-for-13 power play converted twice in six minutes to turn a tied game into an insurmountable 4-1 lead, and a 62.3% faceoff rate denied Buffalo the puck possession to respond.
⚡TURNING POINT
Slafkovský's power-play goal at 12:17 of the second pushed the lead to 4-1 and represented Montreal's third power-play opportunity converted in under seven minutes of game time, making a two-goal deficit a four-goal chasm. At that margin, with Buffalo's faceoff rate at 37.7% limiting their ability to generate sustained offensive zone time, the path back was structurally closed.
🏆WHY MTL WON
1
Special Teams: Power play 2/13 (15.4%), with both conversions arriving in a six-minute second-period window — that concentration of scoring transformed a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 lead that Buffalo never threatened.
2
Faceoff Dominance: 62.3% faceoff rate (38 of 61 won) — controlling puck distribution suppressed Buffalo's ability to sustain offensive-zone time and neutralized their 28-shot output as a structural threat.
3
Shot Volume: 36 shots to Buffalo's 28 — Montreal generated more looks while maintaining the lead, forcing Buffalo into a reactive posture that produced 13 giveaways.
📉WHY BUF LOST
1
Penalty Trouble: 42 PIM surrendered — gifting Montreal 13 power-play opportunities is an unplayable structural deficit regardless of the conversion rate the opponent brings.
2
Faceoff Rate: 37.7% faceoff rate — losing 38 of 61 draws removed Buffalo's capacity to establish zone presence and respond to Montreal's second-period surge.
3
Giveaways: 13 giveaways against 6 takeaways — a net turnover deficit of 7 in a game already conceding power-play time meant Buffalo repeatedly surrendered transition opportunities to a Montreal team that finished at even strength as well.
Three Stars
Lane Hutson1st
MTL, D
0G 2A 2PTOI 20:35+/- +2
Both assists came on power-play goals, meaning Hutson was the primary distributor during the sequence that broke the game open.
Alex Newhook2nd
MTL, C
2G 0A 2PSOG 4+/- +2
Scoring in both the first and third periods, Newhook bookended the game with even-strength goals that opened and closed the scoring account for Montreal.
Jakub Dobes3rd
MTL, G
SV% .929
Dobes stopped 26 of 28 shots — conceding 2 goals on 28 shots against a first-place Atlantic team held Buffalo to a below-average output in a 6-goal game.
