While the Canadiens didn't register their first shot on goal until the 10:29 mark of the first period, they clearly took control of things in that all-important middle frame.
In fact, they were outshooting the Sabres 22-10 after 40 minutes.
They were especially strong defensively, most notably because of the handywork of goaltender Carey Price and their effort on the penalty kill.
"We had a good shift at the end of the first period. We took that momentum into the second. And Price made some big stops," stressed Phillip Danault, who picked up an assist on Gallagher's goal. "We also played well when we were short-handed. I'd say it was a turning point in the game."
For his part, Price thought his teammates made his job a lot easier versus Buffalo.
"I thought we played really good defensive hockey over the last two periods," praised Price, who made 20 saves. "We really didn't give them much."