Dec 17, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak (28) plays the puck against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images Patrik Laine scored three power-play goals to record his 11th career hat trick on Tuesday, lifting the host Montreal Canadiens to a 6-1 victory over the spiraling Buffalo Sabres.
Laine converted a one-timer off a cross-slot feed from captain Nick Suzuki in the first period to become the second player in Canadiens history (since 1933-34) to score each of his first four goals with the franchise on the power play. Mark Recchi previously accomplished the feat in 1994-95.
Laine was far from done, however, as he beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with a pair of one-timers just 70 seconds apart midway into the second period.
Laine’s 11 career hat tricks are third most by a Finnish-born player in NHL history, trailing only Hall of Famers Jari Kurri (23) and Teemu Selanne (22).
Juraj Slafkovsky collected a goal and an assist and Joel Armia and Josh Anderson also scored to help Montreal snap a modest two-game skid. Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson each had two assists, and Sam Montembeault made 20 saves in the win.
Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens scored a goal and Luukkonen yielded six goals on 21 shots before being relieved by James Reimer (six saves).
The Sabres’ 11th loss in a row (0-8-3) came one day after owner Terry Pegula paid his struggling team a visit in Montreal.
A fortunate carom off an official’s skate resulted in Armia beating Luukkonen just 19 seconds into the contest.
Laine nearly doubled the advantage shortly thereafter after his shot appeared to enter the net just inside the right post before bounding back into play. A video review, however, determined the puck actually caromed off the post before bouncing back into play — thereby negating the apparent goal.
Laine, however, found the scoresheet at 6:26 of the first period. Cozens halved the deficit at 3:43 of the second period before Slafkovsky rebuilt the two-goal advantage just over two minutes later after banking the puck into the net off Luukkonen.
Laine tallied twice to extend Montreal’s lead to 5-1 before Anderson capped the scoring with 45 seconds left in the second period.
–Field Level Media