BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� Sabres forward Ryan McLeod didn鈥檛 mind fielding questions about Buffalo鈥檚 power-play production on Wednesday night.
A unit that in its six-game first-round playoff series against Boston went from being anemic to prolific in .
Buffalo finished 2 of 3 with the man advantage against the Canadiens. McLeod scored on the Sabres鈥� second opportunity before setting up Bowen Byram鈥檚 goal on the next one to build a 4-1 lead.
鈥淢aybe keep asking, if we鈥檙e going to keep scoring now,鈥� McLeod said with a laugh to reporters. 鈥淪ometimes they go in, sometimes they don鈥檛. But it鈥檚 a process of building it and getting your look. So I think, we got them tonight.鈥�
of the series on Friday night.
Buffalo鈥檚 power play was so bad in the first round, the Sabres鈥� 4.2% conversion rate was tied for 865th out of 897 teams that had 20 or more opportunities in a playoff series since 1978. The struggles actually carried over from the final seven regular-season games during which the team went 0 for 22.
鈥淚t was hit or miss throughout the last couple of games there, and tonight was one of those nights where we had to get more pucks back in retrievals,鈥� Josh Doan said.
Though Buffalo鈥檚 top unit, featuring Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, had difficulty generating offensive-zone pressure against Montreal, the second unit delivered.
Doan played a key role in setting up McLeod鈥檚 power-play goal to put Buffalo ahead 2-0 with a power-play goal 13:26 into the first period.
Doan won a puck battle in front of the Canadiens鈥� net by pushing the puck into an open spot to the left, where teammate Zach Benson immediately fed a pass through the crease to set up McLeod.
Then it was McLeod鈥檚 turn, setting up Byram鈥檚 goal 9:01 into the second period. After batting down Mike Matheson鈥檚 clearing attempt, McLeod chased down the puck and fed Byram, who scored from between the circles.
鈥淛ust trying to keep it in the zone any way I could,鈥� McLeod said. 鈥淚 just kind of get a little lucky sometimes, but it was nice to get that one.鈥�
A change in opponent may have benefited the Sabres.
Montreal finished the regular season ranked 18th with a 78.2% penalty-killing rate. And the Canadiens were coming off a seven-game, first-round series win over Tampa Bay in which the Lightning converted 5 of 29 power-play opportunities.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis chalked up Buffalo鈥檚 power-play success to fortunate bounces.
鈥淚 felt like we killed pretty well on entries and stuff, and didn鈥檛 feel like they beat us with some of the looks that they like, so that鈥檚 a positive,鈥� St. Louis said.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff liked what he saw.
鈥淲e took advantage of some good breaks, made a couple of good plays,鈥� Ruff said, noting Dahlin hit the crossbar on one opportunity.
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