NHL Recap: Sabres Edge Capitals in Shootout, Canadiens Win in OT

Catch up on the NHL's Monday slate, featuring shootout and overtime wins for the Sabres and Canadiens.

The NHL's Monday slate was filled with excitement, featuring four thrilling matchups. The Buffalo Sabres emerged victorious in a shootout against the Washington Capitals, while the Montreal Canadiens won in overtime against the Vancouver Canucks in front of their home crowd.

Tom Wilson led the charge for the Capitals, scoring two goals to tie the game 2-2. However, the Sabres responded with a power play goal from Tage Thompson, taking a 3-2 lead. The Capitals ultimately fell short in the shootout, securing a win for the Sabres.

Shootout win complete 😤#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/UnKVfSasUr

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 7, 2025

The Washington Capitals were trailing the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 until Aliaksei Protas scored the lone goal in the third period, tying the game 3-3. After a scoreless overtime, the Sabres secured their 15th win of the season with shootout goals from Alex Tuch and JJ Peterka, who had also scored the first two goals of the game for the Sabres, resulting in a 4-3 win.

In another thrilling matchup, the Montreal Canadiens edged the Vancouver Canucks 5-4 in overtime. Five different players scored for the Canadiens, with Nick Suzuki sealing the win with a power-play goal just 38 seconds into overtime. Cole Caufield, Kaiden Guhle, Kirby Dach, and Lane Hutson all contributed to the Canadiens' regulation goals. The Canucks had taken a 3-1 lead, but the Canadiens scored three consecutive goals to take the lead. Jake DeBrusk's late goal sent the game to overtime, where Suzuki's goal secured the win for Montreal. J.T. Miller had a standout performance for the Canucks, scoring two goals, while Jonathan Lekkerimaki added another.

The Colorado Avalanche secured a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers, thanks to a dominant performance after falling behind early. Carter Verhaeghe scored the opening goal for the Panthers, but the Avalanche took control from there.

Devon Toews led the charge for Colorado, scoring two consecutive goals to give the Avalanche a 2-1 lead. Mikko Rantanen sealed the win with an empty-net goal, his 24th of the season.

The Avalanche's victory marked their eighth win in their last 10 games, with a record of 8-1-1 during that stretch. They now boast a 25-15-1 overall record. Meanwhile, the Panthers remain second in the Atlantic Division, behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, with a 24-15-2 record.