A visit to Buffalo might provide the Montreal Canadiens with an ideal opportunity to bounce back from a loss in which they were shut out again. Erik Johnson Jersey . The Canadiens can do so with a seventh consecutive victory over the lowly Sabres on Friday night in the opener of a home-and-home set. You can listen to all the action on TSN Radio 690 Montreal starting at 5:30pm et/2:30pm pt. The Habs might try out a new look on the power play for the game, using just one defenceman and four forwards. Montreal experimented with the idea Thursday at practice, hoping it would improve their 25th (12.7 per cent) ranked power play. The 1-3-1 format would have one forward placed behind the net and the other three positioned midway between the blue line and the lone player behind the net. The defenceman would man the middle of the blue line. Montreal (16-6-1) leads the Eastern Conference by a point over Pittsburgh, the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay, so its understandable that Michel Therriens team isnt too concerned about losing for the second time in 10 games, 5-0 to the New York Rangers on Sunday. A game like this leaves you scratching your head, defenseman P.K. Subban said. We will be fine. Were still a very positive group. We have to generate more. We just didnt play our game. The Canadiens, who outscored St. Louis and Boston 6-1 to win their previous two contests, have been blanked in their last three losses and four times this season. Dustin Tokarski made 29 saves while stepping in for Carey Price, who faced 65 shots over the previous two games and recorded his second shutout in Saturdays hard-fought 2-0 win over the Bruins. I dont think we want to use (being tired) as an excuse, Subban told the NHLs official website. Montreal has hardly needed to justify its play while outscoring the Sabres 17-5 in the last six meetings. P.A. Parenteau had a goal and also scored in the shootout as the Canadiens recorded their fourth straight victory at Buffalo, 2-1 on Nov. 5. Parenteau has one point in his last five games, but three goals and eight assists in his last 12 against the Sabres. Price, who watched Tokarski stop 31 shots Nov. 5, has a 1.00 goals-against average with one shutout during his three-game winning streak against the Sabres (6-14-2). Buffalo scored 12 goals during a three-game winning streak that ended with Wednesdays 2-1 home loss to Winnipeg. Curtis Stewart scored in the third period, but the Sabres allowed the Jets to score on the power play and short-handed. The first period or first period-and-a-half or so, I thought our hands were handling the puck like a grenade, coach Ted Nolan said. And then all of a sudden in the third period, we played the way we have to play in order to be successful. I think the biggest message here, we have to play like that for 60 minutes. Buffalo failed to convert any of its four power-play chances, including a five-minute opportunity in the second period during which the Jets scored the decisive goal. The Sabres are last in the league at 6.3 percent (4 of 64) with the man advantage. They are 1 for 14 in their last six against Montreal, though that goal was Drew Staffords tying tally in the third earlier this month. Stafford is second on the team with 12 points, but has none in three games. Buffalo could be without defenseman Tyler Myers for a second straight game due to a lower-body injury. He was feeling good and then all of a sudden the injury just kind of went south on him, Nolan said. Ben Bishop Team USA Hockey Jersey .com) - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer were among the third-round winners Friday at the French Open. Patrick Kane Jersey . -- Once again, Carlos Santana was a huge hit in Kansas City.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Skip Schumaker is returning to the NL Central, completing a $5 million, two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday that gives them a versatile player off the bench. Schumaker gets a $2 million base salary next season and $2.5 million in 2015. The deal includes a club option for 2016 with a $2.5 million base and a $500,000 buyout. The 33-year-old Schumaker was drafted by current Reds general manager Walt Jocketty and played his first eight seasons in St. Louis, batting .288 with 23 homers and 211 runs batted in. He played for the Dodgers last season, batting .263 in 125 games with two homers and 30 RBIs. He played second base and all three outfield positions last season. "Im not going to assume anything other than that Ill be off the bench, the role Ive been in the last couple of years in the major leagues," Schumaker said during a conference call. "I dont think it will be that much different -- being used off the bench more than anything." To open a spot on the 40-man roster, the Reds designated outfielder Derrick Robinson for assignment. Robinson split time between Triple-A Louisville and Cincinnati last season, batting .255 in 102 games for the Reds. Schumaker was interested in staying with the Dodgers, but got the impression he wasnt a priorityy during contract talks. Kyle Palmieri Team USA Hockey Jersey. When the Reds showed an interest, he quickly decided to take the offer rather than go deep into the off-season as a free agent. "I had a great time in LA and especially with the run we had to get to the playoffs, the whole deal of how we started, how we finished -- a pretty amazing run," he said. "I felt there was some unfinished business and maybe going back there. "During negotiations, I kind of felt like maybe I was on the backburner, maybe hold on and sit and wait and see how things developed and what was going on in their organization. And I really didnt want to wait. I felt so good about Cincinnati." The Reds have won 90 games and made the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, but failed to make it past the first round. They fired manager Dusty Baker after they lost the one-game wild card playoff in Pittsburgh. Schumaker said the Reds recent success was a major factor in his decision. "The first thing I wanted to do was sign with a team that has a chance to win," he said. "The Reds have been that way, one of the best teams in the National League the last three or four years. I knew that division really well. Walt Jocketty drafted me and gave me the opportunity to play professional baseball." 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