By Canadian Press

Skinner’s four points, Levi’s 32 saves lead Sabres over Canadiens 6-1

Jan 4, 2024 | 6:59 PM

MONTREAL — Jeff Skinner had one goal and three assists, Devon Levi made 32 saves and the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 on Thursday night.

Levi, a 22-year-old rookie from nearby Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., was playing his first game at Bell Centre after growing up watching the Canadiens and idolizing Carey Price.

Tage Thompson had two goals and an assist, while Casey Mittelstadt and Jack Quinn produced one goal and one helper each for Buffalo (16-19-4). Rasmus Dahlin added an empty-netter and Alex Tuch pitched in with two assists.

The Sabres snapped a three-game road losing skid with the win.

Joel Armia scored the lone goal for Montreal (16-17-5) in the Canadiens’ first game back from a seven-game road trip. 

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Jake Allen stopped 32 shots in the loss.

Levi turned away all 15 shots in the first period and looked prepared early after an especially long morning skate before the game to “take it all in.”

“I’ve been in this building a few times, watching Carey Price, watching hockey games growing up,” Levi said. “It was cool to be on the ice this time, be in the crease.”

Midway through the first, he robbed Jesse Ylonen’s one-timer on the doorstep and somehow kept the puck from crossing the goal line despite a couple whacks at it from the Canadiens forward.

The Sabres hit iron twice in the opening frame, first with a look from JJ Peterka that beat Allen’s glove but rang off the post and then with a chance from Henri Jokiharju, whose wrist shot met the crossbar.

Armia appeared to break the deadlock two minutes into the second period with a shot that beat Levi through a screen, but the goal was overturned when the Sabres challenged for goaltender interference. Michael Pezzetta bumped Levi in his crease, drawing heavy jeers from the home crowd.

Mittelstadt then finished off a feed in front of the net from Skinner on the power play to open the scoring at 5:33.

Skinner doubled Buffalo’s lead with another power-play goal just 86 seconds later after Canadiens forward Mitchell Stephens took a debatable interference call.

The 31-year-old Skinner received a cross-ice pass from Tuch before going post-and-in past Allen for his 26th goal against the Canadiens — tied with Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews for second-most among all active players.

Armia got one back on the penalty kill, this time with a goal that counted, after stripping Dahlin before using him as a screen and scoring with a wrist shot over Levi’s left shoulder 13:19 into the period.

Buffalo squashed Montreal’s momentum in the third period with even-strength goals from Quinn and Thompson, who made it 4-1 at 8:35 by tapping home a feed from Skinner on the goal line.

Levi kept Montreal from clawing back with a point-blank save on Josh Anderson minutes later.

After Dahlin scored an empty-net goal with over five minutes left, Levi was at it again, this time by flashing the glove on Montreal sharpshooter Cole Caufield.

Skinner fed Thompson for his second of the game with 1:29 left to make it 6-1.

ALL-STAR BOUND

Montreal captain Nick Suzuki and Buffalo’s Dahlin were named NHL all-stars Thursday night as part of 32 players who will represent their respective teams at the NHL all-star game. The final 12 players will be decided by a fan vote.

All-Star weekend is set for Feb. 1-3 in Toronto

DVORAK OUT FOR SEASON

The Canadiens announced earlier Thursday that centre Christian Dvorak will miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. He will undergo surgery on Friday. Dvorak, 27, had three goals and four assists in 25 games this season.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: Finish a two-game homestand against the New York Rangers on Saturday.

Sabres: Play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday to end a three-game road trip.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2024.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press