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Habs collapse continues after coughing up third-period lead in loss to Sabres

Buffalo Sabres v Montreal Canadiens

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 03: Johan Larsson #22 of the Buffalo Sabres scores on goaltender Mike Condon #39 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 3, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

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The collapse continues.

It was back in October the Montreal Canadiens were going for a record-breaking start to their season, before eventually settling for a 9-1-0 record after 10 games. That seems so long ago now. They’ve been in a free-fall for months, going from the top of the Atlantic Division to well out of a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

They’re five points back of Pittsburgh for that spot. They would also have to leapfrog five teams to qualify for the playoffs, so yes, they’re in a difficult spot.

The Habs resumed their schedule out of the break with a loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday. How did they fare the following night against the Buffalo Sabres? They took a lead into the third period, before giving up three unanswered goals in the final 13 minutes in a 4-2 loss to Buffalo.

It’s gotten this bad:

That’s four losses in a row for Montreal, a team that is without its back bone -- injured goalie Carey Price -- and at last check, the recovery process was going “slower than expected.” That’s seven straight games the Habs have been held to two goals or less in regulation.

(They did hit the three-mark versus Toronto back on Jan. 23, but that third goal was from the shootout.)