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Gionta's two goals helps Habs down Sabres

Nov 28, 2010 - 3:35 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Brian Gionta's two goals and one assist led Montreal past Buffalo, 3-1, at Bell Centre.

Andrei Kostitsyn registered a goal and one helper and Tomas Plekanec posted a pair of assists for the Canadiens, who have taken six of their last seven on home ice.

"You just have to keep putting it on the net and hoping one or two will go in," Gionta said of his good fortune on Saturday. "Getting the opportunities is key, because they'll find their way in. Plekanec is an easy guy to play with and strong on his skates. He's consistent and what he does often goes unnoticed."

Carey Price carried a shutout for the first 58-plus minutes but finished with 35 saves for the win, his 14th of the season.

Jordan Leopold provided the only offense and Ryan Miller allowed three goals on 33 shots for the Sabres, who lost for the fourth time in six games.

"We got off on the wrong foot. We were forcing it down in the neutral zone, but they were always looking to get creative," Miller said. "We didn't pick the right time to take the lead. On the third goal, I should have played it better."

Kostitsyn potted a Gionta rebound into a half-open net to get the Habs on the board during a 5-on-3 power play at 13:41 of the first period. Miller kept it a one-goal game by making 19 saves in the opening 20 minutes.

Gionta doubled the Montreal advantage at 12:26 of the second period, when he gathered in a Kostitsyn feed on a 2-on-1 and wristed the puck over Miller.

The diminutive winger ripped a shot over Miller's blocker for a 3-0 game almost 4 1/2 minutes later.

Price held up his end of the bargain by turning aside 17 Buffalo shots in the second.

Leopold finally solved Price with 1:13 remaining, and Miller was pulled briefly in the last minute for an extra attacker until a Canadiens power play took up the final 38 seconds.

Game Notes

The Canadiens have won all three meetings with the Sabres this season, and four in a row dating back to April...This was Gionta's initial multi-goal effort of the season and his first in the regular season since March 25 against Florida...Kostitsyn now has seven multi-point games and two in his last three...Plekanec recorded his third multi-assist performance of November...It was the fifth time in six games that Buffalo has been held to three goals or less.