4 Montreal Canadiens who were the driving force behind the Game 2 victory

The Montreal Canadiens needed to bounce back in Game 2, and they certainly did that with a 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres that was fueled by two early goals. The Canadiens wouldn't let up, though, and controlled most of the game as they built the lead to three in the second period with two more in the third period, including an empty-net goal by Nick Suzuki.

There is no question that it was a collective effort, and the Canadiens' depth was on display in this game. These were four players in particular who stood out in Game 2 against the Sabres.

Jakub Dobes

In these playoffs, Jakub Dobes has been excellent for the Canadiens, and one of the things he has done very well is bounce back after a loss. Prior to Game 2, Dobes has been 3-0 with a goals against average of only 1.65 and a save percentage of .942 in games after a loss, according to Sportsnet Stats.

This game was no different as Dobes would secure the win, allowing only one goal, and had a save percentage of .962. He made big saves early that seemed to be a sign that he was in line for a great night, and he settled into a rhythm.

Dobes has been one of the stars of the playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens and was a big reason for the win over the Sabres.

Alex Newhook

Alex Newhook is another player who has been a big reason for the Canadiens success in the playoffs, especially as of late. In Game 2, he would have two key goals with the first coming about 90 seconds into the game.

On his first goal, Newhook would get the puck after a Peyton Krebs' turnover and then find his way right in front of the net to tip a Kaiden Guhle shot past Alex Lyon. Then in the second period, Newhook was the beneficiary of a beautiful pass by Jake Evans to give the Canadiens a 3-0 lead.

With the two goals in Game 2, Newhook now has three goals in the past three games after a crucial goal in Game 7 against the Lightning. The Canadiens need depth scoring and Newhook is a player that is stepping up to contribute.

Mike Matheson

Mike Matheson would score his first goal of these playoffs and first goal since the 2022 playoffs when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The goal was an incredible shot from the blue line that Alex Lyon would lose, and it went right over his shoulder.

However, another reason that Matheson stood out in this game was what he was able to do as part of the Canadiens' penalty kill. After the Sabres scored two power play goals in Game 1, the Canadiens would shut down five power play opportunities and not really let the Sabres get much of anything going when they had the man advantage.

Matheson finished this game playing over eight minutes of short-handed ice time and also had three blocked shots in the game to help the Canadiens grab the win.

Phillip Danault

The final player that stood out in Game 2 was Phillip Danault, and while he did have an assist, similar to Matheson, it is the little things that make a big impact for this team. For Danault, it is what he does in the faceoff circle as he continues to give the Canadiens a huge advantage.

Entering Game 2, Danault had a win percentage of 60% in the playoffs and was even higher than that in Game 1 against the Sabres at 69%. On Friday night, it was more of the same as he won 10 of 15 faceoffs, and there may not have been one bigger than on Matheson's goal.

He won that faceoff so clean and got it back to Matheson so quickly that the Sabres could not get anyone out there to disrupt the shot. The ability that the Canadiens have to win such a high rate of faceoffs has helped them control the flow of the game, and that was evident on Friday night.

The Canadiens will now return home in hopes of keeping the momentum going with Game 3 on Sunday night.

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