BUF@MTL: What you need to know

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE BELL CENTRE

It’s Country Night at the Bell Centre, so dust off those boots and bring your best Yeehaw energy!

TEAM COMPARISONS

Three times was not to be for the Canadiens. After pulling off two thrilling comeback victories, the Canadiens fell just short against the Rangers on Saturday. Still, a 4-2-0 record to start the season is nothing to frown about. To keep that momentum rolling, though, Montreal will want to play with the lead rather than chase it. And with a long, tough road trip on the horizon, Monday night’s matchup is their chance to close out the homestand on a high note.

On the other side, the Sabres are starting to find their footing. After opening the season with three straight losses, Buffalo responded with back-to-back wins, including a 3-0 shutout over the defending Stanley Cup champions. Eager to end a 14-year playoff drought — the longest in NHL history — the Sabres know they need every point they can get in arguably the League’s toughest division.

SEASON SERIES

Oct. 20 vs. BUF:

Jan. 15 @ BUF:

Jan. 22 vs. BUF:

Jan. 31 @ BUF:

PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR

Despite a quiet start with just one goal this season, 44-goal scorer Tage Thompson remains Buffalo’s most dangerous weapon.

Meanwhile, Nick Suzuki, who tallied 11 points in four games against the Sabres last year, has had another hot start to the season with eight points in five games. Expect the Canadiens captain to be in the thick of the action once again on Monday.

BY THE NUMBERS: SABRES-HABS

Here’s how the Sabres and Canadiens match up by the numbers: