Caufield’s OT goal lifts Canadiens past Sabres 4-3

Cole Caufield scored 54 seconds into overtime, his second goal of the night, as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 at the Bell Centre on Saturday, according to the NHL’s official game summary.

Buffalo had rallied from a 3-1 deficit to force the extra period before Caufield beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the winner, Sabre Noise reported. It was Montreal’s second win over the Sabres in five days, after a 4-3 shootout win on Tuesday.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s name drew more than 100 searches in Canada on Saturday, according to Google Trends, as Buffalo played its third straight overtime game on a road trip that ran through Montreal and Toronto.

Josh Norris gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 8:21 of the first period. Zachary Bolduc tied it on a power play at 11:45, with assists from Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, and Caufield put Montreal ahead at 14:01, the NHL summary shows. Alexandre Texier made it 3-1 at 7:39 of the second period with his first goal of the season.

Jack Quinn cut the lead to one with a short-handed goal at 9:52 of the second, his fifth of the season, and Tage Thompson tied it at 10:12 of the third. Sabre Noise reported that Thompson scored after the coaching staff moved Jiri Kulich onto the top line with him and Josh Doan, replacing Ryan McLeod.

Jacob Fowler made 23 saves for the Canadiens, while Luukkonen stopped 30 of 34 shots, according to the NHL summary. Montreal outshot Buffalo 34-26, went one for five on the power play and held the Sabres scoreless on four chances. Alexandre Carrier had two assists and was named the game’s second star behind Caufield.

The game marked the season debuts of Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen and defenceman David Reinbacher, Sportsnaut and Sabre Noise reported.

Buffalo again played without captain Rasmus Dahlin, who has an upper-body injury. Ruff told reporters in Montreal that Dahlin was “progressing” and was “feeling better today than yesterday,” Buffalo Hockey Beat reported. Norris returned after entering concussion protocol following a collision in Thursday’s 5-4 overtime win in Toronto, the outlet said. Sabre Noise reported that Buffalo took four of a possible six points on the trip without Dahlin, who is expected back Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Sabres are 4-3-2. Ruff, who signed a two-year contract extension in May that runs through 2027-28, has juggled his lines through a stretch of early-season injuries, NHL.com and Sabre Noise reported.

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Sources: NHL official game summary; Sabre Noise; Buffalo Hockey Beat; Sportsnaut; NHL.com; Google Trends Canada.