Summary
- Buffalo enters 3-3-0 and Montreal 2-2-1.
- Mike Matheson is sidelined; Owen Beck makes his season debut.
- Jacob Fowler is set for a third consecutive Montreal start.
Division rivals meet again
Buffalo visits Montreal at the Bell Centre on October 13 in a matchup between Atlantic Division rivals navigating early injuries and uneven results. The Hockey News listed the Sabres at 3-3-0 with six points and the Canadiens at 2-2-1 with five ahead of the scheduled 6:30 p.m. Eastern start. Buffalo is seeking its first road victory and faces the team that eliminated it from last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs. [1]
A change on Montreal’s blue line
The Canadian Press, in a report published by Sportsnet, said Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson will miss the game with a lower-body injury and is considered day to day. Matheson carries the Canadiens’ second-highest average ice time. Forward Owen Beck is set for his season debut after a recall from Laval, returning the club to a more conventional forward-defenseman balance after Saturday’s 11-forward, seven-defenseman lineup. [2]
Fowler gets another opportunity
Jacob Fowler will make his third straight start for Montreal, the Canadian Press reported. He stopped 30 shots and all six Detroit shootout attempts in Saturday’s 1-0 victory, earning his second NHL shutout. The 21-year-old was recalled after Samuel Montembeault was injured in practice. His recent selection ahead of Jakub Dobes gives the Canadiens another look at a young goaltender coming off an effective performance. [2]
Buffalo’s workload and special teams
The Hockey News said Tuesday completes Buffalo’s first back-to-back of the season after Monday’s 5-3 win over Florida. Owen Power had seven points in six games, matching Tage Thompson’s total. Buffalo’s overall power-play rate was 13.6%, while Montreal’s was 5.9%; the Sabres’ recent conversions offered a better picture than that season-wide figure alone. These are entering statistics, rather than a prediction of Tuesday’s result. [1]
Captain unavailable
Buffalo confirmed captain Rasmus Dahlin did not travel to Montreal and is day to day with an upper-body injury. [3]