Sabres 2, Canadiens 1
Sabres 2, Canadiens 1: A fortuitous bounce late in the third period helped Matt Moulson and host Buffalo overcome Atlantic Division-leading Montreal.
Moulson snapped a tie during a power play with 1:18 remaining and to match Tyler Ennis with a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who won for the first time in their last seven meetings with the Canadiens. Jhonas Enroth made 30 saves for the victory.
PA Parenteau scored the lone goal for Montreal, which will host Buffalo on Saturday in the second half of their home-and-home series. Carey Price stopped 23 shots in a losing effort.
Price went behind the net to play a dump-in by Ennis, but the puck hit a stanchion and bounced into the slot, where Moulson was waiting to bang it into an open net to break a 1-1 deadlock. Parenteau tied the game during a man advantage 95 seconds into the period by poking the puck into the net off a scramble in the crease.
Ennis scored a highlight-reel goal 3:27 in the first period, cutting across the crease and firing a no-look backhand shot past Price while airborne. The 25-year-old leads the Sabres with 15 points.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Sabres RW Drew Stafford left the game after one period with a lower-body injury and did not return. … Buffalo has scored seven goals in its last seven meetings with Montreal. … Canadiens LW Eric Tangradi made his debut with the team but was limited to 8:54 of ice time.