Zach Benson scored the third-period power-play winner, capping a 3-2 Buffalo comeback that tied the second-round series 2-2 and revealed a fundamental problem in Montreal's penalty kill structure. The Sabres converted two power-play goals in the game, with Benson's goal at 4:41 of the third breaking a 2-2 tie and forcing Montreal to answer a question it hasn't solved in four games: how to defend Josh Doan's half-wall positioning without leaving shooters alone in the slot.
Buffalo's special teams success - scoring two power-play goals while killing all three Montreal opportunities - reversed a series trend where the Canadiens had controlled momentum through superior discipline. Montreal entered Game 4 with a 4-1 power-play edge through three games, but the Sabres' ability to generate quality chances without volume shooting tilted the decisive moments. Benson's winner came off a Doan setup that pulled Alexandre Carrier and Mike Matheson into simultaneous rotations, leaving the slot open for a backhand finish that beat Jakub Dobes cleanly.
The victory evened the series at 2-2 despite Montreal controlling possession throughout. The Canadiens posted a 59.3% expected goals share at five-on-five, generated 14 high-danger scoring chances compared to Buffalo's eight, and held a 65% Corsi share that reflected shot-share advantage. But Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen saved 0.84 goals above expected while Dobes allowed 0.72 more than expected, and Buffalo's power-play efficiency turned a game Montreal should have won into a series reset.
The Penalty Kill Structure Montreal Keeps Breaking
Buffalo's first goal came at 6:32 of the first period when Mattias Samuelsson beat Dobes from the point after Doan's net-front positioning drew Lane Hutson away from the shooting lane. Samuelsson's goal was at even strength. Later, a power-play goal came at 7:00 of the second period when Tage Thompson scored, followed by another power-play goal from Benson with identical geometry where Doan was stationed at the half-wall while Thompson controlled the puck, forcing Matheson and Carrier into coverage decisions that left Benson alone.
"Canadiens fall to Sabres in Game 4, series tied at 2-2," Sportsnet's headline read, but Jeff Marek's column analysis identified the specific problem: "over-reliance on Caufield-Suzuki unit led to fatigue in the third." Montreal's penalty kill had allowed just one power-play goal through the first two periods before Benson's winner, but the unit's box structure - designed to falter on net-front threats while perimeter defenders manage point shots - creates seams Buffalo's playmakers exploit.
Doan didn't register a shot on goal in 15:30 of ice time, yet his two assists revealed a player whose impact comes from forcing defensive rotations rather than hunting his own offense. His 59.0% on-ice expected goals share this season represents a 13-point swing compared to when he sits, the largest gap on Buffalo's roster. That dominance manifests through positioning that makes defenders choose between covering him or faltering on Thompson and Dahlin, both of whom posted 57.0% on-ice marks this season.
Montreal has tried three different defensive pairings against Doan's line through four games without solving the problem. Hutson led all Montreal skaters with 28:02 of ice time in Game 4, but his strong possession numbers couldn't prevent Buffalo's first goal when Doan pulled him toward the crease. The Canadiens could assign a dedicated shadow, but that would require pulling coverage away from Thompson, whose 33.9 expected goals and plus-6.1 goals-versus-expected mark make him the more dangerous shooter when open.
Luukkonen's Saves Flipped Analytics That Favored Montreal
The 3-2 final doesn't reflect the run of play. Montreal generated 2.67 expected goals at five-on-five compared to Buffalo's 1.42, held a 63.6% high-danger chance share, and controlled 68% of offensive zone time. Luukkonen's 28 saves included several from the slot that prevented Montreal from building on early momentum, posting a plus-0.84 goals saved above expected that Lance Horn of NHL.com called "the difference-maker" in his game recap.
Dobes stopped 19 shots but allowed 0.72 more goals than expected, with Thompson's second-period power-play goal deflecting off a stick in traffic and Benson's winner coming from a backhand release Dobes couldn't track through traffic. Montreal's 1-for-3 power-play performance - Cole Caufield scored their power-play goal - compounded the goaltending disadvantage. Arpon Basu's NHL.com analysis criticized the Canadiens' "predictable cycle deployment against Buffalo's aggressive Dahlin-led penalty kill," noting Buffalo killed the remaining power-play opportunities after Montreal scored their power-play goal.
The analytics suggest Montreal should have won. The Canadiens posted 41 shot attempts compared to Buffalo's 32 at five-on-five, generated 14 high-danger chances to eight, and held a 70.7% controlled zone entry rate that created sustained offensive zone time. But Buffalo converted the few quality chances it generated - Samuelsson's point shot and Benson's slot finish - while Luukkonen stopped the volume Montreal created.
Doan's Pass-First Mentality Creates Space Buffalo Exploits
Samuelsson's opening goal at 6:32 of the first period came off a cycle sequence where Doan positioned himself near the net-front, drawing Hutson's attention while Josh Norris fed Samuelsson at the point. The defenseman's shot found clean ice for Buffalo's first goal, an even-strength sequence that illustrates how Doan's positioning creates shooting lanes without requiring him to touch the puck on the final play.
Benson's winner followed the same template with different geometry. Doan stationed himself at the half-wall, forcing Matheson and Carrier into a rotation that left Benson alone in the slot. Thompson's feed found Benson, who beat Dobes with a backhand that Horn described as a "signature moment" in the rookie's playoffs. Montreal's penalty kill had allowed just one power-play goal through the first two periods, but Buffalo's low-slot centering plays - Doan-to-Benson on the winner - exploited gaps the box structure couldn't close.
Doan's 26.7 expected goals this season ranked 1.7 goals below his actual output, suggesting he's not a high-volume shooter benefiting from favorable percentages. He's a playmaker whose value comes from tilting ice toward Buffalo's net without requiring possession. The lack of shots in Game 4 isn't a limitation in his game - it's the mechanism that makes his teammates more dangerous.
Montreal's defensive structure relies on Matheson and Kaiden Guhle faltering on net-front threats while Hutson and Carrier manage the perimeter. Doan's ability to float between those zones without committing to either forces half-rotations that leave seams Buffalo's shooters exploit. The Canadiens allowed 22 shots on goal in Game 4, their second-lowest total of the series, but the quality of those chances - two power-play goals from dangerous areas - proved more valuable than Montreal's volume.
What Game 5 Requires From Montreal's Coaching Staff
Buffalo improved to 2-2 in a series where Montreal controlled possession in three of four games but split the results. The Canadiens' 2.67 expected goals at five-on-five in Game 4 marked their second-best performance of the series, yet they trail in special teams efficiency and goaltending at critical moments. Montreal's 1-for-3 power play and 3-for-3 penalty kill represented the first game this series where they lost both special teams battles.
The Sabres finished the regular season with a 50-23-9 record (109 points) compared to Montreal's 48-24-10 mark (106 points), a three-point gap that reflected Buffalo's superior goal differential (plus-48 vs. plus-32). But special teams separated the teams more clearly: Buffalo's 19.5% power play and 81.9% penalty kill both ranked higher than Montreal's 23.3% and 78.0% marks, advantages that manifested in Game 4's decisive moments.
Montreal's coaching staff faces a structural decision before Game 5: whether to continue defending Doan the same way or assign dedicated coverage that opens space for Thompson and Dahlin. The Canadiens tried rotating Hutson, Matheson, and Carrier in various combinations through four games without solving the problem. Doan's 59.0% on-ice expected goals share matches Ivan Demidov's season-long mark, but Demidov achieves it through offensive volume (17.3 expected goals in 82 games) while Doan achieves it by making defenders forget where the shooters are standing.
Buffalo's 3-2 win came despite being outplayed territorially for long stretches. Marek's Sportsnet column emphasized special teams as "the story of the game," connecting Buffalo's two power-play goals to the Sabres' "unwavering belief" after struggling through Games 2-3. The victory marked Buffalo's first multi-goal comeback win in a second-round series since 1998, when they rallied past Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference Final during their last deep playoff run.
The series returns to Buffalo tied 2-2, with both teams having won on the road once and defending home ice once. Montreal's possession dominance hasn't translated to series control, while Buffalo's ability to win games they don't dominate territorially suggests a formula built on goaltending and special teams efficiency. If the Canadiens can't adjust their penalty kill structure to account for Doan's half-wall positioning, Buffalo's power play will continue generating the quality chances that decided Game 4.