NHL On Tap: Dahlin looks to extend point streak to 5 games for Sabres

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from the one game Monday.

Dahlin looks to continue scoring streak

Rasmus Dahlin will look to extend his point streak to five games when the Buffalo Sabres (2-3-0) host the Montreal Canadiens (2-1-1) at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B, SN, RDS). The 23-year-old defenseman, who signed an eight-year, $88 million contract ($11 million average annual value) Oct. 9, leads the Sabres with five points. His five assists are tied for the NHL lead among defensemen and his seven takeaways lead the position. Dahlin leads Buffalo in average ice time per game (24:25) and points per game (1.00), while chipping in on the power play and penalty kill. Selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Dahlin has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) and eight power-play points (all assists) while averaging 21:52 of ice time in 13 games against the Canadiens. "We all have an appreciation for his offensive skill," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "But how he takes time and space away from people is incredible." -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Caufield in control

You want to talk point streaks? I'll meet your point streak with one from the Canadiens, the four-game, season-opening point streak of Cole Caufield, who is hoping to extend that to five against the Sabres. Caufield has five points in those four games (three goals, two assists), with his most recent coming in dramatic fashion. He scored 47 seconds into overtime against the Washington Capitals for a 3-2 win at Bell Centre on Saturday, a victory that pushed Montreal to 2-1-1 on the season. Caufield is healthy after an injury-shortened 2022-23, when he had 36 points (26 goals, 10 assist) in 46 games, and 43 points (23 goals, 20 assists) in 67 games as a rookie in 2021-22. He looks ready to crush his previous NHL career bests, starting by adding to that point streak against Buffalo. -- Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com staff writer

Sabres need to get hot

If we're talking streaks, let's talk about Buffalo's need to start one. The Sabres are coming off a 3-1 win against the New York Islanders on Saturday. They have to build on it, and continue to build and build and build, because that's the only way they're going to stay in the thick of the Atlantic Division standings and maybe, just maybe, get some separation at some point. That may not be possible in what looks like the deepest and best division in the NHL this season. The Detroit Red Wings (5-1-0) are off to a hot start. So are the Boston Bruins (5-0-0). The Ottawa Senators (3-2-0), Toronto Maple Leafs (3-2-0) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2-2-2) likely will be in the race all season. The Canadiens might be better than expected. The Florida Panthers (2-3-0) know they can be good enough. That leaves the Sabres, who are built to be a Stanley Cup Playoff team, believe they should be and are confident they can be. But a slow start will doom them, and that's why it is essential that Buffalo finds a way to build on its win against the Islanders. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Monday game

Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B, SN, RDS)

With one point against the Sabres, Caufield will have required the second-fewest games (128) to reach 90 among players to debut with the Canadiens in the past 25 years, behind only Michael Ryder (118 GP). Montreal has allowed five goals in each of its two losses and two goals in each of its two wins. Dahlin is one of three No. 1 picks who will be playing (Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky, 2022; Sabres defenseman Owen Power, 2021).