Canadiens beat Sabres 5-1, tie series 1-1

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Alex Newhook scored twice to provide key secondary scoring, leading the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night and evening their Eastern Conference second-round playoff series at one game apiece.

Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki with an empty-net goal also scored for Montreal. Rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 27 of 28 shots in extending the Canadiens' pattern of alternating wins and losses, a trend that carried them through a seven-game first-round victory over Tampa Bay. Montreal advanced by beating the Lightning 2-1 on Newhook's game-winner 11:07 into the third period of Game 7.

Zach Benson tallied Buffalo's lone goal late in the second period. Goalie Alex Lyon surrendered four goals on 27 shots. He has allowed seven goals in just over six periods since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was pulled early in a 4-2 first-round loss to Boston.

Montreal seized control early after trailing 2-0 through the first period of Game 1. Newhook opened the scoring at 1:36 when he redirected a Kaiden Guhle shot past Lyon following a turnover by Peyton Krebs in the Buffalo zone. Matheson made it 2-0 at 2:51 with a...