Ryder saves Canadiens after blowing lead

Michael Ryder scored the go-ahead goal with 2:53 remaining in regulation and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Saturday night, despite blowing a three-goal lead.

After allowing three consecutive goals _ including two by Sabres co-captain Daniel Briere _ Alexander Perezhogin swept around defenseman Teppo Numminen along the left side before centering to Ryder, who put the puck past Martin Biron into an open right side.

Briere, one of three Sabres going to Wednesday's All-Star game in Dallas as an Eastern Conference starter, tied it at 3 with his second goal of the game 8:37 into the third.

He got credit for his 18th of the season when fellow All-Star Brian Campbell's point shot deflected off his left skate and inside the left post.

Montreal led 3-0 when Briere scored Buffalo's first goal 9:04 into the second. Derek Roy got his ninth of the season at 16:11 to cut the lead to 3-2.

Guillaume Latendresse and Saku Koivu scored first-period power-play goals to stake the Canadiens to an early 2-0 lead. Montreal increased its lead to three 4:49 into the second when defenseman Francis Bouillon scored an unassisted goal for his second of the season.

Cristobal Huet _ who will make his first All-Star game appearance Wednesday _ made 24 saves for Montreal, which evened the season series between the Northeast Division rivals.

The Canadiens entered the All-Star break with their second win in a row following three straight losses, including consecutive shutout losses against Detroit and Vancouver.

Biron stopped 27 shots in his first appearance this season against the Canadiens, who had lost three of their first five games against the Sabres, including both previous meetings at the Bell Centre.

Latendresse, a 19-year-old rookie, scored his 10th goal of the season 8:00 in as Biron and the Sabres caught a bad break during a Montreal power play.

Biron was caught out of position after he went behind the goal to play Tomas Plekanec's dump-in and Latendresse put the puck into a wide open net after it took an unexpected bounce in front from the left corner.

Koivu made it 2-0 with 30 seconds left in the first when he took Alex Kovalev's pass in front and put it over Biron's sprawling attempt into a wide open left side to give the Canadiens their second power-play goal in three opportunities in the opening period.

Notes:@ Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff _ who will coach the Eastern Conference on Wednesday _ rested All-Star starting G Ryan Miller, who stopped 28 shots in Friday's 4-3 shootout win over Vancouver. ... Montreal's Sheldon Souray will make his second All-Star game appearance Wednesday as Campbell's starting defensive partner.