4 takeaways from the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1

The Buffalo Sabres had a little break between games after their series-clinching win on Friday night over the Boston Bruins. They were back on the ice Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens and showed no rust as they created an early lead and would not trail at any point in this game to win 4-2.

In the first period, the Sabres would score twice, with Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod getting on the board with goals. Late in the period, though, the Canadiens would cut into the lead as Nick Suzuki scored a power play goal with less than a minute left in the first period.

The second period was much like the first as the Sabres scored the first two goals of the period with Jordan Greenway and Bowen Byram adding to their lead before Montreal would score to make it 4-2 going into the third period.

It remained a two-goal lead for the Sabres as both teams had chances, but neither could convert them. In the end, the Sabres got the job done to secure the first win in this series and take a 1-0 series lead.

These are some of the key takeaways from the Sabres win on Wednesday night.

Zach Benson and Josh Doan continue to deliver in these playoffs

There might not be a better pair right now on the Buffalo Sabres than Zach Benson and Josh Doan, as they were great against the Boston Bruins and continued that strong play into the opening game of this series.

Benson and Doan would connect early in the first period for the first goal of the series as Benson carried it into the zone, patiently waiting for Dobson to commit to sliding. Once he did, he passed right in front of Dobes to Doan for the goal.

These two weren't done there as they had assists on Ryan McLeod's power play goal later in the period.

In the series against the Bruins, Doan and Benson together on the ice accounted for three high-danger goals, while the rest of the team combined for only four when these two were not on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick. It is an area where they have a lot of success and continue to have success that will only help the Sabres further into this series.

Jordan Greenway with first playoff goal since 2022

For teams to win in the playoffs, they need to get big-time plays from unexpected players, and the Sabres got that in Game 1 from Jordan Greenway. The big forward is known for his physicality and being a key part of the team's fourth line that is expected to limit scoring chances of their opponent when on the ice.

In Game 1, Greenway showed another part of his game as he was able to beat Dobes glove side for the Sabres' third goal in the game. This is not something Greenway is known for, as he had only two shots on goal the entire series against the Bruins and had only one goal in 40 regular season games, which was back in November.

However, to find out when he last scored a playoff goal, it has been a much longer wait, as that was all the back in 2022 when he was a member of the Minnesota Wild. The Sabres can't expect this to happen often, but it was a big boost for them in Game 1.

Buffalo Sabres power play was not pretty but productive

One of the biggest concerns for the Buffalo Sabres for over a month now has been their inability to generate power play goals. Entering this game, the Sabres were 1 for their last 46 power play opportunities.

In Game 1, the Sabres would have three power play opportunities and score not one but two power play goals. The first goal would be by Ryan McLeod on the pass by Benson, with the second coming in the second period, with Bowen Byran shooting right from the slot after Doan was able to screen Dobes.

There is no question that the Sabres' scoring power play goals is a great sign, but they really struggled to get set up in each power play chance. It wasn't until late in the power plays that the Sabres were able to beat Dobes for the goals.

It is going to continue to be a work in progress with the power play, but any improvement is a good sign.

Jack Quinn was easily the most unlucky player in Game 1

There were plenty of impressive performances in Game 1, and Jack Quinn certainly had a chance to be among this group. Unfortunately for the forward, luck was just not on his side in Game 1 as he would hit the post on three separate occasions.

After a breakout season where he had 20 goals and 31 assists, Quinn has been relatively quiet in these playoffs, as he has had only three assists and no goals in the series against the Bruins. He was in a great position to change that in Game 1 and just missed scoring his first career playoff goal.

If Quinn continues to play like he did in Game 1, the goals will follow, and he has a chance to be a difference maker for the Sabres against the Canadiens.

The Sabres once again take a 1-0 series lead in these playoffs and will try to extend that on Friday night in Game 2 against the Canadiens.

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