Patrik Laine authors first hat trick with Montreal Canadiens

MONTREAL — Patrik Laine posted his first hat trick with the Montreal Canadiens, as his membership prolonged the Buffalo Sabres’ winless streak to 11 video games with a 6-1 victory on Tuesday night time.

Juraj Slafkovsky, Joel Armia and Josh Anderson additionally scored for Montreal, and Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson offered two assists every and Sam Montembeault stopped 20 pictures.

It has been a protracted highway for Laine, who made his Montreal debut earlier this month. He sat out the season’s first two months due to a knee harm after an offseason commerce from the Columbus Blue Jackets in August by way of Laine’s request.

“He is been working arduous, coming to the rink every single day, making an attempt to get higher,” Suzuki, Montreal’s captain, mentioned of Laine. “He is been doing the best issues over and over, and I am glad that he obtained rewarded.”

Laine was skating in his second preseason recreation for Montreal in September when he collided knee-on-knee with Toronto Maple Leafs ahead Cedric Pare. Although Laine mentioned on the time the harm “may have been a lot worse,” it nonetheless set him up for a prolonged restoration.

Laine, 26, was restricted to solely 18 video games final season whereas rehabbing a damaged clavicle after which spending time within the NHL/NHLPA Participant Help Program from January to July.

He has had some type of harm almost each season because the Winnipeg Jets chosen him second general within the 2016 NHL draft. Regardless of that historical past Laine made essentially the most of his time in Columbus, averaging a degree per recreation over two seasons in 2021-23.

However his begin with the Canadiens has been robust. He now has six targets, and all three Tuesday night time got here on energy performs. It was his eleventh profession hat trick, and regardless of sitting out the beginning of the season, Laine is already tied for fourth in targets on the group.

“Nice passes,” Laine mentioned of what his teammates are feeding him on the facility play. “They appear to seek out me, and you’ve got to have the ability to be open. Tonight was simply my flip.”

Montreal coach Martin St. Louis was a bit extra complimentary.

“We have been speaking about ardour [for the game] this morning, I believe that answered it proper there,” St. Louis mentioned, when requested about Laine’s enthusiasm for being on the Canadiens. “When a participant has that love, that zeal, they’ll work rather a lot more durable at it. They will decide to the whole lot.”

Dylan Cozens scored for struggling Buffalo and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 15 saves on 21 pictures. Backup James Reimer stopped all six pictures that he confronted after getting into to begin the third.

The loss got here a day after Sabres proprietor Terry Pegula flew to Montreal for a group assembly.

Armia scored solely 19 seconds into the sport, capitalizing on a wide-open internet after Sabres defenseman Owen Energy mishandled the puck off the tip boards.

The Related Press contributed to this report.