
Maeda stunner seals Old Firm win as Celtic keep title hopes alive
Celtic's 3-1 win over Rangers keeps their title hopes alive with Maeda's stunning goal!
The Buffalo Sabres aim to improve their puck management as they head into Game 3 against the Montreal Canadiens, tied 1-1 in the series. After a heavy loss in Game 2, the Sabres are focused on making fewer mistakes with the puck.
Sabres look to clean up puck mistakes entering Game 3 in Montreal
The Buffalo Sabres know they have to be much better with the puck Sunday night as their second-round series shifts north to Montreal for Game 3, all square at one game apiece with the Canadiens.
The Sabres played a heavy game against Montreal in Game 2 Friday night, but it was to no avail as the Canadiens blew out the Atlantic Division champs 5-1.
Buffalo dished out 44 hits on the red-white-and-blue-clad Habs, who returned just 18. Mattias Samuelsson recorded a game-high 10, while Tage Thompson had six.
Montreal's Juraj Slafkovsky said most of the 44 were a little late.
"I feel like all of their hits happen after the plays," the top-line winger said. "Especially me, I mean, I made a play, and then, three seconds after, I got hit. ... Sometimes, you've got to take a hit to make a play."
Thompson struggled in the loss, finishing at minusâ4 and turned the puck over by simply falling to the ice, leading to Alexandre Carrier's third-period goal that made the 4-1 lead insurmountable.
The Sabres struggled with puck management, leading to a heavy loss of 5-1 in Game 2.
The Sabres recorded 44 hits in Game 2, compared to the Canadiens' 18.
The series is currently tied at one game apiece as they head into Game 3.
Mattias Samuelsson led the Sabres with a game-high of 10 hits in Game 2.

Celtic's 3-1 win over Rangers keeps their title hopes alive with Maeda's stunning goal!

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Nick Suzuki of the Montréal Canadiens shoots the puck against Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
Cole Caufield of the Montréal Canadiens shoots the puck against Conor Timmins of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
Fans gather outside KeyBank Center before a game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montréal Canadiens in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon looks to make a save during the third period against the Montréal Canadiens in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres fight Zachary Bolduc of the Montréal Canadiens during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
Mike Matheson of the Montréal Canadiens and Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres battle for the puck during the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens players get into a scrum after the whistle during the second period in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center.
Montréal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson clears the puck as Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch defends during the third period in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center
Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson reacts after scoring a goal during the second period against the Montréal Canadiens in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center.
Montréal Canadiens center Joe Veleno skates with the puck as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin defends during the first period in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center.
Zach Benson of the Buffalo Sabres scores a goal against the Montréal Canadiens during the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
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Nick Suzuki of the Montréal Canadiens shoots the puck against Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Nick Suzuki of the Montréal Canadiens shoots the puck against Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Cole Caufield of the Montréal Canadiens shoots the puck against Conor Timmins of the Buffalo Sabres during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Fans gather outside KeyBank Center before a game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montréal Canadiens in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon looks to make a save during the third period against the Montréal Canadiens in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Mattias Samuelsson and Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres fight Zachary Bolduc of the Montréal Canadiens during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Mike Matheson of the Montréal Canadiens and Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres battle for the puck during the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres lost, 5-1.
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Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens players get into a scrum after the whistle during the second period in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center.
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Montréal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson clears the puck as Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch defends during the third period in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center
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Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson reacts after scoring a goal during the second period against the Montréal Canadiens in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center.
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Montréal Canadiens center Joe Veleno skates with the puck as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin defends during the first period in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center.
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Zach Benson of the Buffalo Sabres scores a goal against the Montréal Canadiens during the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on May 08, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
"I just wasn't executing," said Thompson. "I think everything I touched turned into disaster tonight. So, tough one. I've got to be better."
Added Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff: "Three or four of the goals were just the result of bad puck play. You just can't beat yourself."
Coach Martin St. Louisâ Canadiens head home to Quebec with all the momentum after wresting home-ice advantage from the Sabres after their 109-point season, second only to the Carolina Hurricanes' 113 in a standout showing by the Eastern Conference.
Alex Newhook and Mike Matheson tallied within the first five minutes of Game 2, scoring less than three minutes apart as Buffalo's defense and goaltender Alex Lyon collapsed. Newhook added another early in the second.
It was the start the Habs needed to even the series and carry momentum home after an exhausting first-round win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.
Goalie Jakub Dobes, outstanding in stopping 181 of 196 shots (.923 save percentage) against the Lightning, denied 28 of 29 against the Sabres on Friday.
The Czech goaltender said the whole squad was inspired by an "unbelievable" pregame speech by St. Louis but would not reveal its nature.
However, second-line center Jake Evans spilled the beans.
"He just said it's going to be a war out there and we've got to play like it," Evans told Sportsnet. "I don't know if it was meant to be more physical, but we were all just (mentally) dialed in from the start."
Montreal countered by holding a blocked-shot edge, 18-11, with defensemen Noah Dobson and Matheson posting nearly half of them with five and three, respectively.
Matheson's tally was the game-winning one, but the 2012 first-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers (23rd overall) said Dobes was typically instrumental.
"He brings a lot of energy to our team," said Matheson, a Pointe-Claire, Que., native who has one goal, one assist and 12 penalty minutes in nine playoff matches this postseason. "He kind of exudes a lot of swagger into our lineup."
The Sabres' Sam Carrick, out with an arm injury after fighting New York Islanders captain Anders Lee on March 31, is "on the cusp," according to Ruff, of slotting back in following a return to practice Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Sabres tied with Canadiens as series shifts to Montreal