Alex Newhook posted his first two-goal postseason game for the Montreal Canadiens, who evened their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the host Buffalo Sabres on Friday thanks to a 5-1 victory in Game 2.
The Canadiens seized home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven set ahead of Game 3 in Montreal on Sunday.
Newhook now has three goals for the Habs this postseason, and Nick Suzuki added an empty-netter with 4:01 remaining to extend his goal-scoring streak to three games. Five of Montreal’s six defensemen got points as Mike Matheson and Alexandre Carrier netted their first playoff goals while Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson each registered an assist.
Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes rebounded from a subpar Game 1 performance, making 27 saves in the victory.
Zach Benson recorded his third playoff goal for the Sabres, with assists from Conor Timmins and Josh Doan.
Buffalo goaltender Alex Lyon endured his worst game of the playoffs as he gave up four goals on 27 shots.
The Canadiens needed just 96 seconds to take the lead with Newhook in the slot tipping Guhle’s shot past Lyon.
Less than three minutes later, Matheson doubled the Habs’ lead. Phillip Danault won the faceoff in the offensive zone and the puck went back to the defenseman, who found a lane and ripped a shot from the blue line that went in off the post.
Newhook, who entered Friday with just three goals in 40 Stanley Cup playoff games, netted his second of the night with 15:13 left in the second period. On a 2-on-2 with Evans, Newhook found a way to get past Rasmus Dahlin and beat Lyon, who could not glide back before the puck got to Newhook.
Buffalo managed to score in the final minute of the second, with Benson at the post to redirect Timmins shot from the right circle.
The Canadiens regained momentum less than four minutes into the third with Carrier getting the puck in the defensive zone off a Tage Thompson turnover and converting it into an unassisted goal that secured the victory.
