(My Sportsbook) - The Buffalo Sabres will take aim at their first three-game winning streak since early October when they visit the rival Montreal Canadiens for tonight's Northeast Division battle at the Bell Centre.

The Sabres are coming off back-to-back victories, but haven't won three straight since opening the 2008-09 season on a four-game winning streak. Buffalo had lost a season-high five in a row before posting recent wins over Boston and Pittsburgh.

Buffalo ended a four-game homestand with Friday's close win over the visiting Penguins. Paul Gaustad scored two goals, including the game-winner with 3:24 remaining in the third period, as the Sabres rallied to overtake Pittsburgh, 4-3, at HSBC Arena.

Drew Stafford registered two goals and an assist for the Sabres. Ryan Miller stopped 27 shots for Buffalo, which had lost five straight to Pittsburgh.

Buffalo tied the game at three early in the third period on an odd-man rush. Derek Roy carried the puck across the blueline and handed off to Thomas Vanek, among the NHL leaders with 15 goals, on his right side. Vanek then slid a pass to Stafford driving to the net and he tucked the puck in on the backhand at the 3:11 mark.

Late in the frame, Jason Pominville fired a shot from the low right circle and Gaustad whacked in the rebound. Buffalo then held on down the stretch for the win.

The Sabres are just 4-3-2 as the visiting team this year and, beginning tonight, are playing four of their next five games on the road.

Montreal, meanwhile, was shut out on Friday night to lose for the third time in four games. Tomas Fleischmann scored the deciding goal in the opening period and Jose Theodore earned his 27th career shutout as the Washington Capitals defeated the visiting Canadiens, 3-0, at the Verizon Center.

Theodore, who played for the Canadiens from 1995-2006, stopped all 28 shots for Washington.

Jaroslav Halak was solid in the net for Montreal, turning aside 27-of-30 shots. It was the sixth loss in nine games for the Habs, who are second in the Northeast Division with 28 points. Buffalo is third in the division and just three points in back of the Canadiens.

Tonight's test marks the opener of the longest homestand of the season for Montreal. The Canadiens, who are 5-2-2 at the Bell Centre, will play their next seven games in front of their home fans.

Buffalo won the first of six meetings with the Habs back on October 10, as it posted a shootout victory in western New York. The Sabres have taken four of the last seven encounters between the clubs, but Buffalo has dropped five of six in Quebec.