Nathan Gerbe scored two goals and Ryan Miller made 31 saves for his fourth shutout of the season Tuesday as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0.
It was a third straight game with at least a point for Buffalo (36-28-9), which maintained its three-point advantage on Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It was the Sabres' first regulation victory in six meetings with Montreal, which took the season series 3-1-2.
The Canadiens (40-27-7) were coming off Sunday's 8-1 win in Minnesota but couldn't muster any offence against Miller. The Canadiens trail Boston by three points in the East standings but face the Bruins on Thursday night. Tuesday marked the seventh time this season the Habs have been shut out.
A close checking and scoreless first period carried into the second until Gerbe finally broke the ice when he redirected a Tyler Myers pass in from the slot at 8:56.
With Carey Price pulled for an extra attack in the final minute, Gerbe checked the puck away from P.K. Subban at centre ice and scored into the empty net.
Gerbe has scored in three straight games and has five goals in his last five contests.
The Sabres, who finished with 24 shots, had most of the good chances through two periods, but Price was solid. Travis Moen had a chance near the crease in the third but Buffalo defenceman Mike Weber kicked the puck off the line.
Notes: Injured Canadiens Tomas Plakanec, Jeff Halpern, Mathieu Darche and Brent Sopel all skated with the team Tuesday morning, but none were in the lineup. Injured defencemen Andrei Markov and Jaroslav Spacek skated earlier. ... Andreas Engqvist, called up from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, was in the lineup. ... Montreal announced the signing of defenceman Joe Stejskal, a 2007 fifth round pick, from Dartmouth College. ... Buffalo was without Steve Montador, Patrick Kaleta, Jochen Hecht, Derek Roy and Patrick Lalime.
