The Buffalo Sabres know they have not been at the level that helped them get to the top of the Atlantic Division in the regular season.
After winning Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Montreal Canadiens, the Sabres fell 5-1 in Game 2 before a 6-2 setback in Game 3 on Sunday. They now find themselves down 2-1 in the best-of-seven set heading into Game 4 on Tuesday in Montreal.
Buffalo opened the scoring 53 seconds into Game 3, quieting a raucous crowd in Montreal. But poor puck decisions and straying away from their tight defensive structure against the Canadiens’ speedy and dynamic offense resulted in the Sabres chasing the game the rest of the night.
“Very much self-inflicted. It’s all on our decisions and our will and our compete,” winger Alex Tuch said. “We’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror and get back to the game we know we can play and the game that’s been successful for us.”
Tuch has already begun to face the mirror. The 30-year-old led Buffalo with seven points (four goals, three assists) in the first round against the Boston Bruins but has been held without a point against Montreal.
He’s known for his strong two-way play, including an elite ability to strip pucks and force turnovers while also putting the puck in the net. But in Game 3, he looked nothing like that player.
“I don’t think we want to forget about that feeling last night. Me personally, I think that was probably — it’s definitely my worst defensive game in the playoffs,” Tuch said. “So I’m not going to forget that feeling. But yeah, I think it’s only 2-1 in the series. We have to come out flying (Tuesday). No excuses, we’ve just got to be a lot better.”
Meanwhile, the Canadiens are looking for a third straight victory in the series to push the Sabres to the brink of elimination.
Sunday marked the first time in this postseason that Montreal has won consecutive games.
“It’s the biggest game for them,” Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle said. “They don’t want to go down 3-1. I think we just have to keep playing our game. Don’t overthink it too much. Not that we were nervous (before), but we might have been playing on our heels a little bit. We’ve got to play on our toes, keep bringing it to them and keep playing our game. We’ll be just fine.”
Montreal has been doing just that, and has benefited from some welcome secondary scoring. Forward Alex Newhook has been the biggest contributor on that front, with four of his team-leading five goals coming over the past two games.
“I’m feeling good,” Newhook said. “We’re getting scoring from everyone. Contributions from everyone. I believe in myself. I’m trying to prove to myself and this team that I can help out and be a part of a winning team. That’s the only thing that’s on my mind. I believe in what I can be as a player. These big moments are what you play for. I’m just doing what I can to help the team.”
