Watch: Tage Thompson nets 90-footer off goalie's leg to help Sabres beat Canadiens

May 13 (UPI) -- Tage Thompson sparked a Buffalo Sabres rally in improbable fashion, netting a flukish 90-foot shot in a playoff win over the Montreal Canadiens.

Thompson's long-distance prayer was answered in the second period of the 3-2 second-round Eastern Conference series triumph Tuesday in Montreal. The Sabres, who trailed 2-1 in the series, also trailed 2-1 on the scoreboard before Thompson's goal.

"I rimmed it and obviously saw it hit the glass," Thompson told reporters. "I was scanning around looking for it and a few guys put their hands up. It's a nice feeling when you see that."

Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin took control of the puck deep in Sabres territory to start the power-play sequence about 6:50 into the second period. He skated over the red line at center ice before passing back to Thompson. The veteran forward skated past the red line before attempting to dump the puck.

Thompson fired the puck into the upper left corner of boards. It then ricocheted back toward the net, bounced off the back of netminder Jakub Dobes' right leg and went into the goal.

Dobes could only shake his head in disbelief.

Thompson and Josh Doan went on to assist fellow forward Zach Benson for another power-play score, which proved to be the game-winner 4:41 into the third period. Benson flipped that shot in from just outside the crease, beating Dobes with a glove-side backhander.

But it was Thompson's fluke goal that stood out for the Canadiens as they simmered in disappointment after Game 4.

"Honestly, I thought we played a pretty good game," said forward Cole Caufield, who scored the Canadiens' second goal. "Obviously, there's some things we can get better at, but seeing a fluke going in like that, it's obviously not the bounce you want."