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Montreal (3-3) at Buffalo (3-3)
- When: May 18 2026, 7:30 PM
- Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
- TV: ESPN
Montreal vs Buffalo NHL Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Buffalo -120
Spread: Buffalo -1.5 (+220)
Total: 5.5
Buffalo Sabres Betting Breakdown
Buffalo Sabres head back home for Game 7 carrying all the momentum after delivering one of the wildest playoff comebacks of the postseason.
Saturday night looked finished early. Buffalo fell behind 3-1 in the first period, the Bell Centre crowd was preparing to celebrate, and Canadiens fans were already mentally booking Eastern Conference Finals tickets. Then everything completely flipped.
The Sabres responded with seven unanswered goals and turned Montreal’s party into a full hockey horror movie.
Rasmus Dahlin completely dominated the game with a goal and four assists while controlling play every shift he touched the ice. Tage Thompson added one goal and three assists, while Jack Quinn delivered two goals and an assist during Buffalo’s second-period avalanche.
One of the biggest turning points came in goal. After Alex Lyon allowed three goals on four shots, coach Lindy Ruff made the switch to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who completely stabilized the game by stopping all 18 shots he faced.
Buffalo suddenly looked fast, aggressive, and fearless after that change. The Sabres consistently pressured Montreal’s defense, attacked in transition, and controlled the pace for nearly two full periods.
Returning home now becomes a massive advantage. Buffalo has all the emotional momentum, while confidence inside the locker room should be extremely high after such a dominant response under pressure.
Montreal Canadiens Betting Breakdown
Montreal Canadiens are now trying to recover mentally after one of the most stunning collapses in recent franchise playoff history.
The Canadiens had everything working early Saturday. Goals from Arber Xhekaj, Jake Evans, and Ivan Demidov gave Montreal a 3-1 lead in front of a packed Bell Centre crowd that felt ready to explode all night long.
Then chaos arrived.
Montreal completely lost structure defensively once Buffalo increased the pressure. Defensive coverage broke down repeatedly, turnovers became a major issue, and the Canadiens struggled badly handling Buffalo’s speed through the neutral zone.
Captain Nick Suzuki admitted afterward it was likely the club’s worst performance of the postseason.
The goaltending situation also becomes concerning entering Game 7. Jakub Dobes allowed six goals before being pulled, and the Canadiens never regained composure once Buffalo grabbed momentum midway through the second period.
Still, Montreal has already survived this exact situation earlier in the playoffs against Tampa Bay. The Canadiens lost Game 6 at home in that series before responding with a strong Game 7 road victory.
That experience matters greatly heading into another elimination game.
The biggest challenge Monday becomes simplifying their game again. Montreal looked overly aggressive and emotionally rushed Saturday instead of playing with patience and structure.
NHL Playoffs Betting Prediction
Game 7s usually tighten up quickly, but Buffalo’s confidence and offensive momentum are impossible to ignore after Saturday’s explosion.
The Sabres appear faster, fresher, and mentally stronger entering the deciding game, especially at home where the energy inside KeyBank Center should be electric.
Montreal will compete hard early, but Buffalo’s offensive depth and transition pressure should eventually create enough separation.
Score Prediction: Sabres 4, Canadiens 2
Pick: Buffalo Moneyline (-120)
Total: Over 5.5 (-108)
- NHL Playoffs Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
