Rasmus Ristolainen and Tyler Ennis score in Buffalo’s final home game.
By Joe Yerdon / NHL.com Correspondent
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Robin Lehner made 31 saves to help the Buffalo Sabres win their final home game of the season, 2-1 against the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center on Fan Appreciation Night on Wednesday.
The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Canadiens (46-25-9), who clinched first place in the Atantic Division on Monday.
Rasmus Ristolainen and Tyler Ennis scored for the Sabres (33-35-12), who ended a three-game losing streak.
Ristolainen gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 6:01 of the first period. He received a pass from Josh Gorges and beat goalie Carey Price with a shot from outside the right faceoff circle.
Ennis made it 2-0 at 11:35 of the second period. Evander Kane took a shot from the side of the net, and the rebound went to Ennis in front of the net.
Tomas Plekanec scored to get the Canadiens within 2-1 46 seconds into the third period. He received a pass from Alexander Radulov, and then deked and slipped the puck past Lehner for his 10th goal.
Price made 28 saves.
Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin left the game late in the second period because of a lower-body injury.
Buffalo forward Marcus Foligno left the game late in the second with a knee injury.
The Sabres recalled goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Rochester Americans on Wednesday.
Ullmark (23, 6-foot-4, 221 lbs.) joins the team for his sixth recall of the 2016-17 season. Through 53 games in his second AHL season, Buffalo’s sixth-round pick (163rd overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft is 25-26-2 with a .909 save percentage.
The Lugnvik, Sweden native played 20 games for the Sabres as a rookie during the 2015-16 season, posting a .913 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average, but has not yet appeared in an NHL game this season. His 8-10-2 record in 2015-16 included wins in each of his last three NHL appearances.
Okposo hospitalized
Buffalo Sabres forward Kyle Okposo has been hospitalized with an undisclosed illness, a Buffalo radio station reported Wednesday.
Okposo, 28, has not played since March 27 because of the ailment. He is at Buffalo General Hospital, WGR-AM 550 reported.
“Kyle continues to be under the care of our doctors as he deals with symptoms from an illness,” the Sabres said in a statement. “Out of respect to Kyle and his family, we will have no further comment at this time.”