The Buffalo Sabres avoided elimination with an 8-3 victory in Game 6, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7 Monday night in Buffalo, the report says.
Coach Lindy Ruff said the team finally found the urgency it had lacked, calling out prior “indecision” and “slowness” and noting he told the players he would rather they make a mistake “going” than “not going.” Ruff also referenced a team expression, “J.F.G.,” the report says.
The turning point came early with a bold goaltending change. Alex Lyon started Game 6 but surrendered three goals on the only four shots he faced, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced him 10:14 into the game with Buffalo trailing 3-1. Luukkonen stopped all 17 shots he faced, and Ruff said the move paid off because Lyon “wasn’t seeing it” while Luukkonen made several key saves, the report says.
Buffalo’s top players supplied the offensive burst. Captain Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and four assists, tying the franchise record for points in a single playoff game with five, a mark shared by Derek Roy (2006) and John Tucker (1988), the report says. Center Tage Thompson added a goal and three assists after being shuffled in the lineup prior to the game, and Ruff said the team had discussed everyone needing to play their best.
Montreal’s offensive leaders were mostly quiet despite needing a win to advance. Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson assisted on Ivan Demidov’s power-play goal but otherwise were subdued, and Nick Suzuki was scoreless. Rookie goalie Jakub Dobes, who had been a postseason stabilizer for Montreal, was pulled in the third period after allowing six goals on 33 shots; rookie Jacob Fowler finished the game, the report says. Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis acknowledged it “wasn’t our best tonight” and spoke about the team’s intent to “bounce forward.”
The sequence that prompted the Sabres’ change unfolded early: Dahlin opened the scoring 32 seconds in, Arber Xhekaj beat Lyon from distance 1:08 later, Demidov made it 2-1 on the power play and Jake Evans scored shorthanded to make it 3-1, chasing Lyon after 10:14. Game 7 winner will advance to face the Carolina Hurricanes, who last played on May 9 when they completed a sweep over Philadelphia, the report says.
