MONTREAL (AP) 鈥� Alex Tuch scored short-handed to break a second-period tie in the Buffalo Sabres' 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadians on Wednesday night.
Zemgus Girgensons and Jeff Skinner also scored and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 29 saves to help the Sabres improve to 25-27-4.
鈥淯kko-Pekka Luukkonen was on this game. I mean, he had to make several nice saves,鈥� Sabres coach Don Granato said. 鈥淥bviously, they made some nice plays, so you have to have a good goaltending performance if you鈥檙e gonna do that.鈥�
Skinner has 27 goals against the Canadiens, the second-most among active players behind Alex Ovechkin (38).
鈥淚 thought our battle level was high through the start,鈥� Granato said. 鈥淲e had to weather a storm in segments, but the guys stayed with it 鈥� and the (Tage) Thompson, Tuch and Skinner line was very good.鈥�
Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble scored for Montreal and Sam Montembeault made 20 saves. Montreal has lost three straight and five of six to fall to 22-26-8.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a good team. They got a lot of good players,鈥� Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki said. 鈥淚 think their spot in the standings doesn鈥檛 really say what kind of team they are.鈥�
Tuch scored with 1:52 left in the second period after a Canadiens power play that included three turnovers by Cole Caufield.
Girgensons tied it at 1 at 4:20 of the second, deflecting a point shot from Henri Jokiharju past Montembeault while standing alone in front.
Struble put Montreal ahead at 6:35 with a wrist shot that deflected off Sabres forward Peyton Krebs and fooled Luukkonen. Skinner tied it at 9:28 on a power play.
UP NEXT
Sabres: At Columbus on Friday night.
Canadiens: At Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
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AP NHL:
The Associated Press
