Canadiens 3, Sabres 2
MONTREAL -- Torrey Mitchell scored late in the third period to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.
Alex Galchenyuk also scored a pair for Montreal (32-30-6), becoming the first Canadiens player with five multi-goal efforts in an eight-game span since Jean Beliveau in 1959, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Nicolas Deslauriers and Brian Gionta connected for the Sabres (27-33-9).
Mike Condon made 36 saves for the Canadiens while Robin Lehner stopped 31 shots for the Sabres.
Deslauriers fifth of the season broke the scoreless tie at 9:00 of the second period. Jake McCabe picked up Zach Bogosian's deflected shot attempt along the left side and fired a shot from outside the circle that hit Deslauriers before beating Condon glove side.
The goal announcement had barely begun when Galchenyuk tied the game 1-1 a mere nine seconds later. Mark Barberio dumped the puck in after the center ice faceoff and it rimmed around behind the net to Lehner's right. Max Pacioretty got to it first and found his center just below the hashmarks, who quickly buried it.
After struggling to generate much on its first two power plays, Montreal finally cashed in late in the frame. P.K. Subban dove to keep the puck in along the boards and Sven Andrighetto sent the loose puck over to an uncovered Galchenyuk in front of the net, connecting for his third straight multi-goal game and team-leading 25th tally of the season at 19:16.
Gionta made it 2-2 at 5:10 of the third period. Evander Kane tossed a shot toward the net from the left circle, sending it past Condon off an unattended Gionta's skate in front.
Mitchell restored the Canadiens' lead at 13:21. Lehner stopped Barberio's shot from the far edge of the blue line, but Mitchell was there for the rebound to record his eighth of the season.
Subban left the game on a stretcher with 2:26 remaining in the third period after falling awkwardly in a battle with Marcus Foligno in the corner and a subsequent collision with teammate Alexei Emelin on the same play.
NOTES: Montreal C Lars Eller returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday's game with an injury, leaving LW Lucas Lessio as the lone healthy scratch. ... Buffalo D Cody Franson missed his 10th consecutive game while recovering from a neck injury. ... Canadiens coach Michel Therrien stepped behind the bench for his 742nd career NHL game, tying Red Kelly for 41st as an NHL head coach. ... Earlier in the day, Montreal announced that D P.K. Subban was awarded the club's Jean Beliveau Trophy for 2015-16, recognizing his community involvement. ... The game was the 270th meeting between the Canadiens and Sabres and the fourth of five matchups this season.