• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Sabres' offense look to get back on track vs. Canadiens

Oct 20, 2007 - 2:33 PM Buffalo (3-3-0) at Montreal (2-2-0) 7:00 pm EDT

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- The losses of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury are already starting to show for the Buffalo Sabres.

The Sabres will try to bounce back from their first shutout in 95 games when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday in a battle of Northeast Division foes.

Buffalo was the league's top offense last season, scoring 308 goals en route to an NHL-best 53 wins and the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy. The team was not held scoreless all season.

However, the Sabres were held to just 21 shots in absorbing a 3-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

It was the first shutout against the team since being held without a goal at Toronto on April 1, 2006. The last time they had been shut out at home was December 2, 2005 by San Jose.

Centers Briere and Drury, who both left as free agents in the offseason, combined for 69 goals with Buffalo last season.

The Canadiens are looking to halt a three-game losing skid. Carey Price, who was making his second career start after being selected fifth overall in the 2005 draft, looked solid but still came up on the short end in a 4-3 setback to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Montreal has been led by captain Saku Koivu this season. The 32-year-old Finn has tallied a team-high four assists and six assists. Alexei Kovalev leads the squad with three goals.

Cristobal Huet, who will likely get the start, is off to a slow start. The Frenchman has posted a 1-1-2 record with a 2.17 goals-against average and .929 save percentage this season.

On the other end of the rink, the Sabres will likely turn to Ryan Miller, who has enjoyed a lot of success against the Canadiens in his career. The Michigan native is 8-1-2 with a 2.48 GAA against the division rival.