It'd be easy for the Buffalo Sabres to get overconfident after building a 4-1 lead midway through the second period of Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens and then cruising to the finish line to collect the first win of the second-round series.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is aiming to make sure that doesn't happen.
The Buffalo legend made sure to point out his squad was far from perfect on Wednesday night as the Blue and Gold continue to eye a deep run in the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
"You know, I like the quick start we got off to. I know we can be a lot better," Ruff told reporters. "I thought some of our puck decisions weren't up to par. You look at the couple situations in that game that we gave them a little bit of momentum."
The 66-year-old Canadian has read his locker room to perfection pretty much all season.
When the Sabres needed a little public support after a sluggish stretch, Ruff delivered it. When the longtime coach sensed his players were getting a little too high on their horse, he was quick to bring them back down to Earth. That's what great coaches do.
So, at a moment where the Blue and Gold might be feeling a little too assured by their 4-2 victory, the Jack Adams Award finalist made sure to remind them they were far from perfect in the series opener.
"I'll say this again, I think we can be a lot better," Ruff said later in his postgame press conference. "That includes taking time and ice away. I thought we did a great job in the Boston series. I thought this game was a little bit of step back where we gave them too much ice. We didn't confront that first pass."
Message sent, and that point of emphasis will surely be hammered home ahead of Game 2 on Friday night (7 p.m. ET) at the KeyBank Center.
Meanwhile, let's check out a fresh installment of our Sabres playoff player grades series as Buffalo moved within three wins of the Eastern Conference Final.
Jordan Greenway delivers a memorable performance to help lead Buffalo Sabres to a Game 1 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Jordan Greenway | 9 |
Zach Benson | 8.5 |
Josh Doan | 8.5 |
Ryan McLeod | 8.5 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 8 |
Bowen Byram | 8 |
Alex Lyon | 8 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 7.5 |
Beck Malenstyn | 7 |
Jack Quinn | 6.5 |
Tyson Kozak | 6 |
Alex Tuch | 5.5 |
Logan Stanley | 5.5 |
Jason Zucker | 5 |
Conor Timmins | 5 |
Tage Thompson | 4.5 |
Peyton Krebs | 4.5 |
Josh Norris | 4 |
Owen Power | 3.5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Jordan Greenway
Greenway, who's struggled to overcome a lingering middle-body injury for the past two years, started to finally show some promising on-ice signs late in the regular season. He can be a true difference-maker at the bottom of the lineup when healthy.
That was on full display in Game 1. His first few shifts were full of energy. He delivered multiple heavy hits and showed some skating juice that's been missing in recent seasons. The strong play of the fourth line, which also features Tyson Kozak and Beck Malenstyn, earned them some extra shifts.
Greenway ultimately capitalized on that ice time with his first goal of the postseason early in the second period. It was a key turning point in the game as the Habs had built some momentum with a goal late in the opening frame to trim Buffalo's lead to 2-1.
Sam Carrick is nearing his return from injury and the Sabres, who once again struggled on faceoffs Wednesday night, could desperately use his prowess on draws. Breaking up that fourth line after a couple strong outings recently could prove tricky, though.
Sabres quick hits
- Alex Lyon was rock solid once again, stopping 26 of the 28 shots Montreal sent his way.
- The Sabres' two best players each have a singular glaring weakness: Rasmus Dahlin's propensity to take avoidable penalties and Tage Thompson's turnovers. Each of those issues led directly to a Habs goal in Game 1. Now's the time to clean up those unforced errors.
- Josh Doan and Zach Benson playing on the same line is a nightmare for opponents. They are the two hardest workers on the ice every night.
- Buffalo's much-maligned power play delivered two goals in the series opener, both by the second unit courtesy of Ryan McLeod and Bowen Byram.
- Jack Quinn produced several high-danger chances but couldn't find the net. It was still a positive sign after the sniper passed up too many shooting opportunities against the Bruins in Round 1.
- Owen Power has looked out of sorts the past two games, Game 6 vs. the Bruins and Game 1 vs. the Canadiens, after a strong start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- The Sabres will likely need a more complete all-around performance Friday night if they want to capture a 2-0 series lead before the series shifts to Montreal.
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