Absolute chaos in Buffalo as first period turns into goal-scoring frenzy!

A chaotic start in Buffalo on Thursday night set the tone immediately as the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres combined for a frantic, high-event first period that felt impossible to keep up with.

Just two minutes into the game, the puck took a cruel bounce off Phillip Danault and into the net, with the goal officially credited to Jason Zucker to open the scoring for Buffalo.

The response came from Cole Caufield, who tied things up moments later, briefly settling Montreal before the pace exploded again.

Buffalo regained the lead when Josh Doan beat Jakub Dobes on what was only the Sabres' second shot of the night, but the Canadiens answered right back just nine seconds later. This time, a bounce off Alex Texier’s skate redirected into the net, and the game was level once again.

Then came another turning point.

Konsta Helenius jumped on a loose puck in the slot and ripped a shot past Dobes for his first career playoff goal, restoring Buffalo’s lead and continuing a staggering start that saw the Sabres score three times on just four shots.

Through it all, Montreal’s netminder Jakub Dobes faced heavy traffic and deflections, struggling to find rhythm as the puck seemed to change direction on nearly every chance.

At the end of 20 minutes, Buffalo held the edge, but Dobes began to settle in late with a few key stops to stabilize things heading into the second period.

If the opening frame was any indication, this one is far from slowing down.