Caufield Lifts Canadiens to 4-2 Lead in Montreal Score

The Montreal Canadiens held a 4-2 montreal score over the Buffalo Sabres after two periods in Game 3, with Cole Caufield driving the shift with the go-ahead goal in the second. Montreal scored four times in a frantic middle frame and took a two-goal lead into the third period.

Caufield and Hutson Strike

Lane Hutson cut through traffic and set up Caufield for the goal that put Montreal in front in the second period. That came after a first-period equalizer from Newhook, whose shot from a hard angle bounced off a Sabres skater in front and trickled behind Alex Lyon.

Joe Veleno then helped on Zachary Bolduc’s goal, giving him his first playoff points of his career. The Canadiens kept pushing through a second period that featured four goals between the teams and started with 4-on-4 play for 44 seconds before Montreal went on the power play.

Sabres Penalties Stack Up

Buffalo handed Montreal one of its chances at 4:43 of the second period when Josh Doan took a tripping penalty. Montreal later cashed in again after Beck Malenstyn was sent off for goaltender interference when he skated into Jakub Dobes’ net, and the brawl that followed brought interference minors for Jordan Greenway and Zachary Bolduc.

Rasmus Dahlin answered for Buffalo late in the period, scoring 16 seconds into a power play after Kirby Dach was penalized for holding Doan’s stick. That cut Montreal’s lead to 4-2, but it still left the Sabres chasing after two periods.

Dobes and Lyon Hold

Dobes stopped 16 of 18 shots through two periods for Montreal, while Lyon saved 24 of 28 for Buffalo. Lyon also entered a second period that turned choppy fast, with post-whistle scrums and repeated special-teams chances putting the pressure back on the Sabres.

Montreal had five power-play opportunities by the end of the second period, and Buffalo’s late response only trimmed the gap. The Canadiens carried the 4-2 edge into the third with Game 3 tilted by their second-period surge.