Canadiens at Sabres
The Montreal Canadiens seem to have put a bumpy start to the beginning of the month behind them as they carry a three-game winning streak into Wednesday's road contest against the skidding Buffalo Sabres. The Canadiens dropped their first four games of November before bouncing back with a 5-1-1 stretch in their last seven, with the lone regulation loss being a 1-0 home defeat to the New York Rangers. Montreal has beaten Minnesota, Washington and Pittsburgh during its current streak.
The Sabres' initial response to the dismissal of coach Ron Rolston earlier this month was positive - a 3-1 win over Toronto in interim coach Ted Nolan's debut. They have since regressed to the play that led to Rolston's firing, dropping four consecutive games while scoring a total of five goals in that span - including one each in the last three setbacks. Buffalo has the fewest points (11) in the NHL and owns the league's worst home record with a dismal 2-10-1 mark.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS (Montreal), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (13-9-2): Montreal's hot stretch has coincided with the re-emergence of Max Pacioretty, who has scored five goals - including a pair of game-winners - in the last three games to earn Second Star of the Week honors from the league. Pacioretty led the Canadiens in scoring last season with 39 points in 44 games but was mired in a nine-game goalless drought before registering a natural hat trick against Minnesota on Nov. 19. He netted another pair of tallies to spark Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Penguins.
ABOUT THE SABRES (5-19-1): Nolan lamented the fact that Buffalo is a "quiet" team - and, no, he wasn't referring to a punchless offense that is dead last in the league with 44 goals. “We talked about communication, talking down low," Nolan said. "We don’t talk enough. I’ve always said good communication eliminates duplication so you don’t always end up doing someone else’s job.” Left wing Matt Moulson, acquired in the trade for Thomas Vanek, is mired in an 11-game goalless drought after scoring twice in his Buffalo debut.
OVERTIME
1. The Canadiens halted a three-game losing streak in the series with a 5-1 win at Buffalo in April.
2. Sabres G Ryan Miller has faced an average of 39.5 shots over his last eight starts.
3. Canadiens G Carey Price is 10-9-7 with a 2.04 goals-against average versus Buffalo.