Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens
NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montréal Canadiens on Jan 23, 2026. Final score: Buffalo Sabres 4, Montréal Canadiens 2.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Venue | Centre Bell |
| Buffalo Sabres score | 4 |
| Montréal Canadiens score | 2 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Nick Suzuki | C | 1 | 1 | 3 | 20:14 | 0.47 | 1.49 |
| 2nd | Beck Malenstyn | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11:41 | 0.43 | 1.15 |
| 3rd | Peyton Krebs | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10:38 | 0.26 | 0.95 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Buffalo Sabres–Montréal Canadiens) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 00:44 | BUF | Jason Zucker | Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod | 5v5 | 1–0 |
| 1st 14:58 | BUF | Beck Malenstyn | Mattias Samuelsson | 5v4 | 2–0 |
| 2nd 02:25 | BUF | Zach Benson | Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund | 5v5 | 3–0 |
| 2nd 03:56 | MTL | Cole Caufield | Nick Suzuki, Mike Matheson | 5v5 | 3–1 |
| 2nd 11:20 | MTL | Nick Suzuki | Zachary Bolduc | 5v5 | 3–2 |
| 3rd 19:16 | BUF | Peyton Krebs | Tage Thompson | 6v5 | 4–2 |
Team Comparison
| Buffalo Sabres | Montréal Canadiens | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 2 |
| Shots on goal | 17 | 34 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 3.33 | 3.00 |
| High-danger shots | 8 | 12 |
| Corsi % | 40.0% | 60.0% |
| Power play | 0/1 | 0/3 |
| Faceoff % | 35.7% | 64.3% |
| Hits | 26 | 28 |
| Blocks | 18 | 16 |
| Giveaways | 9 | 12 |
| Takeaways | 5 | 3 |
Buffalo Sabres Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beck Malenstyn | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11:41 | 0.43 | 1.15 |
| Peyton Krebs | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10:38 | 0.26 | 0.95 |
| Mattias Samuelsson | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23:03 | 0.03 | 0.84 |
| Zach Benson | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10:47 | 0.67 | 0.80 |
| Jason Zucker | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17:00 | 0.19 | 0.80 |
| Ryan McLeod | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20:53 | 0.49 | 0.74 |
| Tage Thompson | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 17:14 | 0.06 | 0.74 |
| Konsta Helenius | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9:36 | 0.11 | 0.69 |
| Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16:57 | 0.26 | 0.64 |
| Noah Ostlund | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13:02 | 0.00 | 0.49 |
| Alex Tuch | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 19:46 | 0.30 | 0.35 |
| Jacob Bryson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6:17 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Josh Doan | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:26 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| Owen Power | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26:25 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| Bowen Byram | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27:21 | 0.15 | 0.00 |
| Jordan Greenway | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:57 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Michael Kesselring | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:04 | 0.14 | -0.10 |
| Rasmus Dahlin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22:53 | 0.16 | -0.20 |
Montréal Canadiens Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Suzuki | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20:14 | 0.47 | 1.49 |
| Cole Caufield | R | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17:56 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| Mike Matheson | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 23:53 | 0.19 | 0.74 |
| Zachary Bolduc | R | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 14:18 | 0.37 | 0.39 |
| Noah Dobson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23:26 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Kirby Dach | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15:25 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Joe Veleno | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:02 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Kaiden Guhle | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14:17 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Ivan Demidov | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17:44 | 0.16 | 0.15 |
| Oliver Kapanen | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15:54 | 0.13 | 0.10 |
| Jayden Struble | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9:06 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Brendan Gallagher | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13:09 | 0.19 | 0.10 |
| Josh Anderson | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13:21 | 0.44 | 0.10 |
| Alexandre Carrier | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18:53 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Jake Evans | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11:25 | 0.51 | 0.05 |
| Juraj Slafkovský | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18:50 | 0.10 | -0.05 |
| Phillip Danault | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13:20 | 0.01 | -0.10 |
| Lane Hutson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 24:14 | 0.11 | -0.15 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | Buffalo Sabres | 32 | 34 | 94.1% | 1.10 | W |
| Samuel Montembeault | Montréal Canadiens | 13 | 16 | 81.2% | -0.45 | L |
Analysis
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montréal Canadiens 4–2 on Jan 23, 2026.
Montréal Canadiens generated 3.0 expected goals to Buffalo Sabres's 3.33 — the run of play matched the result, with Buffalo Sabres earning the better chances as well as the goals; by expected goals it was close to a coin flip.
Nick Suzuki led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.49 on 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots on goal.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 of 34, worth 1.1 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Buffalo Sabres vs Montréal Canadiens game?
The Buffalo Sabres beat the Montréal Canadiens 4–2 on Jan 23, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Buffalo Sabres 4, Montréal Canadiens 2.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Nick Suzuki led all skaters at 1.49, on 1G, 1A and 3 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Montréal Canadiens generated 3.0 expected goals and Buffalo Sabres generated 3.33, so Buffalo Sabres created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Buffalo Sabres put 17 shots on goal and Montréal Canadiens put 34. High-danger chances went 8 to 12.
How did the goaltenders play?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 32 of 34 (1.1 goals saved above expected); Samuel Montembeault stopped 13 of 16 (-0.45 goals saved above expected).