Sabres at Canadiens
After having their five-game winning streak halted by a lower-tier Western Conference foe, the Montreal Canadiens look to avert a similar fate against the NHL's worst team when they host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. Montreal, which is one point behind Tampa Bay for the best record in the Eastern Conference, is coming off a 3-2 defeat to Arizona - only its second loss when leading after two periods. Buffalo swept a home-and-home against the Canadiens on Nov. 28-29.
Carey Price is expected back in net as he goes for his third consecutive shutout for Montreal, which has scored only nine goals in its past five games. The reeling Sabres are in the throes of a disastrous tailspin, having lost a franchise-record 14 consecutive games - all in regulation - and failing to earn a single point in January. Buffalo, which is wrapping up a five-game road trip, has also dropped 14 in a row away from home dating to a 4-3 shootout win in Montreal on Nov. 29.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE SABRES (14-33-3): Buffalo has done little offensively during its losing streak, having been outscored 61-21, but Chris Stewart is providing some offensive punch following a horrendous start to the season. Stewart, who scored once in his first 21 games, had both goals in Friday's 5-2 loss at Vancouver and has four tallies and six points over the past five contests. "To pop a couple goals in is really helping my confidence," said Stewart, who has been linked to trade rumors. "You really start wanting the puck more when you’re out there.”
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (32-14-3): Price had no margin of error in blanking Washington and the New York Rangers by identical 1-0 scores following a 40-save performance in a 3-2 win over Dallas that earned him NHL First Star of the Week honors. Price, who has allowed five goals during a five-start winning streak, owns the best save percentage (.933) and goals-against average (2.03) of his career. Max Pacioretty scored the winning goal in each of Price's last two shutout wins and has tallied 10 times in 14 games since the Christmas break.
OVERTIME
1. Price is tied with Hall of Famer Patrick Roy for fifth place on the franchise list with 29 shutouts.
2. The Sabres are three losses shy of matching the longest skid in league history, held by Washington (1974-75) and San Jose (1992-93).
3. Canadiens C Alex Galchenyuk scored twice against Arizona, giving him five goals in six games.