In the second straight year the Buffalo Sabres loose the home opener to the Montrel Canadiens, this time in a 3-2 shootout. Seth Griffith got the crowd going early when he stole the puck and hit Jason Pominville with pretty assist on a power play goal. Jack Eichel made a beautiful play to get Pominville his second goal of the game late in the first period.
The Canadiens rolled out the pressure in the third and it led to a shorthanded goal from Phillip Danault on a wraparound that tied the game at two in the middle of the last period.
In the shootout Drouin put a nice move on Lehner to score while Pominville was stopped by Carey Price. Sam Reinhart was the last shooter for the Sabres and was also stopped by Price for a 3-2 Canadiens victory.