Montreal, QC (Sportsbooks) - Andrei Kostitsyn scored and added an assist while Andrei Markov netted the eventual game-winner in the second period as the
Montreal Canadiens notched a 3-2 victory over the
Buffalo Sabres.
Steve Begin also scored while Carey Price recorded 26 saves for Montreal, which had dropped three of four but opened up a seven-game homestand with a win.
Thomas Vanek continued his hot start to the season with two goals for Buffalo, which had won two in a row. Patrick Lalime, in his sixth start of the season, stopped 31-of-34 shots against in the loss.
Kostitsyn got an eventful second frame started with the tying goal just 2:51 into the frame, and Vanek knocked in his 17th goal of the season off a nice pass from Drew Stafford several minutes later to put the Sabres up 2-1.
The Canadiens answered with two more tallies in the frame, as Begin netted a wrister past a screened Lalime, and Markov tapped in Saku Koivu's pass from behind the net for a 3-2 lead with 1:30 left in the second.
Buffalo couldn't capitalize on a pair of power plays in the third, and though the Canadiens failed on a 5-on-3 advantage, Price pushed aside eight shots in the frame to seal the win.
Jason Pominville had a chance to tie the score in the waning seconds but struck the post while on the right doorstep.
With a man advantage in the first period, Buffalo's Clarke MacArthur kept the puck in the zone, lofted a pass towards the net and found Vanek, who got behind the defense and registered his 16th goal with 6:29 remaining.
Game Notes
Buffalo has dropped six of seven in Quebec...Montreal was 0-for-5 on the power play, while Buffalo scored once in five chances with the man advantage.
