The Buffalo Sabres now have a hill to climb, down two games to one to the Montreal Canadiens in their best-of-seven second-round series.
The Sabres had two-straight ugly losses to Montreal on Friday and Sunday, getting outscored 11-3 — but now it’s on to Game 4.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is looking to leave those two games in the past and get back to playing their brand of hockey.
“We have to reset,” he said Monday. “Playoffs is about the next game. It’s not about the past one. The only thing we can control now is Game 4. And I think we answered a lot of questions this year about tough situations and about adversity early in the year. We’ve put together six-game winning streaks and three games. I’m really confident in the group, so, it’s all about tomorrow.”
Rebounding from playing bad hockey is something the Sabres excelled at throughout the regular season, losing three games in a row only once since their 10-game win streak in December.
Two players in the series were fined Monday, stemming from penalties in Game 3. According to the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, Buffalo forward Beck Malenstyn was fined $3,515.63 for goaltender interference against Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes, and Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj was fined $3,385.42 for roughing Sabres forward Sam Carrick.
Puck drop for Game 4 in Montreal is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday. The series then shifts back to Buffalo on Thursday for Game 5.