MONTREAL – This torrid 17-3-1 stretch can no longer be classified as simply a hot streak. No, having consistently showcased an identity for 45 days and more than one-quarter of the schedule, it’s safe to say the Buffalo Sabres can be called a pretty darn good hockey team.

As hard as it might be to believe, the rapidly maturing team has finally arrived following nearly a decade and a half of futility.

Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Canadiens, a game in which they grabbed a 3-0 lead before grinding the final 45 minutes, marked the Sabres’ 10th road win in their last 12 outings.

They’ve roared up the standings, and in defeating their rival for the second time in a week, they’ve moved within two points of the Canadiens, who hold third place in the Atlantic Division.

While some of their recent victories haven’t exactly been masterpieces – opponents have fought back and made things close, especially late – the Sabres have plowed through, finding different ways to triumph.

On Thursday before a crowd of 20,692 fans in the noisy Bell Centre, perhaps the NHL’s most difficult rink for opponents, the Sabres refused to flinch.

“It’s good training for high-intensity games,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “And for the most part, our guys have been able to pass the test. We’ve been able to weather some storms, and we’ve been able to push through and win games.”

Sabres winger Beck Malenstyn, whose nifty short-handed goal made it 2-0 14:58 into the contest, said Thursday’s raucous atmosphere “is as close to a playoff game as you’re going to get in the regular season.”

“You can feel the energy when you come up to start the game,” he said. “When they get a little bit of momentum, it’s a hostile environment. It’s a great lesson for us how we eventually weathered that storm in that game, managed the momentum.”

The Sabres created their own momentum early when winger Jason Zucker scored at the 44-second mark, ending his seven-game goal drought.

After Malenstyn’s torched a defender down the left wing and beat goalie Samuel Montembeault with a nifty move at the net, winger Zach Benson made it 3-0 2:25 into the second period.

Following goals from Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki narrowed it to 3-2 by the 11:20 mark of the second period, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and the Sabres buckled down.

“Our starts have put us in a good position to maybe be able to weather the storm a little bit there,” Malenstyn said. “And then I thought we were able to come out in the third and do a pretty good job of managing that game and making them come 200 feet to earn a chance and things like that.”

Luukkonen made 32 saves, improving to 7-2-1 in his last 10 games, his hottest stretch in two seasons.

The Finn said strong team play and assistant coach Mike Bales, who’s in charge of the goalies, has helped ignite him.

“But especially our good team play right now has been awesome to be part of it,” Luukkonen said. “You want to win for your team you want to play well for your team, especially when we are on the hunt for a playoff spot. It’s fun to come to the rink every day.”

Center Peyton Krebs’ empty-net goal, his second in two games and fourth empty-netter this season, sealed the win.

“He’s become the specialist,” Ruff said of Krebs’ late-game scoring exploits. “… Important goals, really; they end up killing the game for you. Most of them have been from the other side of center, and he’s hit the net.”

However, the Sabres’ 28th win this season came at a high cost.

In the waning minutes, Zachary Bolduc elbowed Benson in the head late. Benson stayed on the ice and was attended to by a trainer. Ruff did not have an update him.

Ruff said defenseman Jacob Bryson “will miss some time” after suffering an upper-body injury in the second period. In Bryson’s final shift, Ivan Demidov hit him into the end boards.

Demidov’s shot with about 80 seconds left in the game hit Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin’s left wrist or arm. Dahlin stayed in the game, but he was in visible pain on the bench.