Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner hasn't lost a game since 2016. On Tuesday the Sabres will turn to Lehner once again when they take on the Montreal Canadiens for the third time this season. Just ten days ago Lehner played one of his best games of the year against Montreal, making arguably the best save from a Buffalo goaltender this season.
OH. MY. LORD!!
This is simply unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/Lk35tum8X4
— NHL (@NHL) January 22, 2017
In January Lehner is 4-0, but oddly, his stats don't match his record. In five games Lehner has a .908 save percentage and 2.60 goals against average. While he hasn't lost, he was pulled after allowing three goals in less than ten minutes against the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this month.
Both marks from January are worse than Lehner's season averages. In 31 games Lehner has 2.57 goals against average, a .920 save percentage and a 12-12-5 record.
Lehner's counterpart Anders Nilsson was credited with the aforementioned loss to the Maple Leafs and finished the month with a 3-4-1 record. Between both Lehner and Nilsson, the Sabres have allowed an average of 2.91 goals per game in the first month of 2017.
So what has changed for the Sabres despite a mini-slump from their goaltenders?
It's quite simple, Lehner and Nilsson are finally getting run support.
January -- 3.3 goals per game
December -- 2.4 goals per game
November -- 1.6 goals per game (ahh, memories)
October -- 2.5 goals per game
On Tuesday the Sabres will have to deal with a Canadiens team that is 17-5-3 on home ice. It won't be easy, but if the Sabres get another outing from Robin Lehner like they did the last time the two teams played then the Sabres could be ending the month with another win.
