Demidov breaks through as Canadiens near third round

Ivan Demidov finally found his playoff groove in Game 5 of Montreal's series against the Buffalo Sabres, scoring after making a subtle tactical adjustment that paid immediate dividends. The ultra-talented rookie Russian had been robbed by opposition netminders and rung iron throughout the early playoff run, but switched from black stick tape to white tape heading into Friday's matchup. The shift coincided with an inspired performance at both ends of the rink, lifting the Canadiens one win closer to advancing to the third round.