Canadiens edge Sabres 4-3 in OT for fifth straight win, move one point from playoffs

Montreal Canadiens' Cole Caufield (13) celebrates a goal by teammate Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (not shown) in front of Buffalo Sabres goaltender James Reimer (47) and Connor Clifton (75) during first period NHL hockey action in Montreal, Monday, March 3, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi)

Mike Matheson scored at 1:21 of overtime to lift the surging Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

Nick Suzuki had a goal and three assists for the Canadiens who, despite blowing a 3-0 lead, rallied for their fifth consecutive victory.

Cole Caufield — with his team-leading 30th of the season — and Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for Montreal (30-26-5).

Lane Hutson produced two assists and Sam Montembeault made 33 saves.

The Canadiens also beat the Sabres 4-2 in Buffalo on Saturday.

Rasmus Dahlin scored the equalizer with 61 seconds remaining in regulation, while Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson also scored for Buffalo (24-29-6) and James Reimer stopped 16 shots.

The Sabres lost their third game in a row.

The Canadiens (65 points) improved to within a point of a wild-card playoff position.

The Sabres, meanwhile, rank last in the Eastern Conference.

Suzuki set up Caufield on the power play to open the scoring at 9:42 of the first period.

The Canadiens captain doubled the lead with a short-handed goal less than two minutes later before Slafkovsky made it 3-0 with the man-advantage at 13:42.

The Sabres dominated in the second and third periods, leading to Dahlin’s equalizer, before Matheson’s winner.

TAKEAWAYS

Canadiens: Won despite being outshot 36-20, including 27-11 in the second and third.

Sabres: Hurt themselves with early penalties in a chippy game.

They gave up four power plays — and two power-play goals — in the first period to put themselves in a hole.

Key moment: Dahlin, who took three penalties, skated from the blue line to the top of the left circle before beating Montembeault far side to force overtime and earn Buffalo an extra point.

Key stat: Suzuki is on a roll since returning from the Four Nations Face-Off break, with four goals and nine assists in his last five games — all Montreal wins.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: Begin a four-game road trip Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers.

Sabres: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2025.