Montreal forward Nick Caufield erupted for two goals, including the eventual winner, to lead his team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in front of a raucous Australian crowd in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference second-round series last night.
The Canadiens, who trailed 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, are now up 2-1 and will look to seal a commanding lead when they host the Sabres in Game 4 at the Bell Centre on Thursday night.
Caufield, who scored an NHL career-high 51 goals during the regular season, had gone cold in the playoffs, with just one goal in his first nine games. But he finally broke out in style against the Sabres, scoring at 12:37 of the second period and again at 18:41.
The Sabres’ Tage Thompson responded with a power-play goal with just 2:45 remaining, but the Canadiens held strong to secure the win.
Caufield’s Career-High
Regular-Season Goals Still Stand
Caufield’s two goals in the win marked his 2nd and 3rd of the postseason, and he still trails Connor McDavid for the league lead in playoff goals with 12 apiece.
The Canadiens, who were led by a strong defensive effort in front of goalie Charlie Lindgren, outshot the Sabres 34-28 and held a 22-14 edge in face-offs.
Caufield’s first goal of the night, a wrist shot from the right circle, tied the game at 2-2 and sent the crowd at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney into a frenzy. His second goal, a snapshot from the top of the slot, put the Canadiens up for good and sent the team’s bench into a wild celebration.
Caufield’s two-goal performance capped off an impressive night for the Canadiens’ top line, which was led by captain Nick Suzuki. The team’s speed and skill on the attack proved to be too much for the Sabres’ defense, which struggled to keep up in the fast-paced contest.
Game 4 Preview
Canadiens Look to Take Series Lead
The Canadiens will look to build on their momentum when they host the Sabres in Game 4 of the series. The game is scheduled to get underway at 7:00 PM ET on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.
The Sabres will need to regroup and refocus after a tough loss, but they still hold a strong chance of getting back into the series. The team has shown resilience all year, and they’ll look to draw on that experience when they face the Canadiens again.
The series is expected to be a closely contested one, with both teams having played well in the first three games. The Canadiens will look to take a commanding lead in the series, while the Sabres will try to stay alive and force a deciding Game 5.
