Canadiens look to even second-round series with Sabres before shifting to Montreal

Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) is pushed out of the crease by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley (64) during the second period in Game 1 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

The Montreal Canadiens look to earn a split of the first two games of their second-round series with the Buffalo Sabres when the Atlantic Division rivals clash tonight at the KeyBank Center.

The Canadiens trail a series for the first time in these NHL playoffs after dropping Wednesday’s opener 4-2 in Buffalo.

Montreal won the opening game of their first-round series with Tampa, and the teams alternated wins and losses the rest of the way resulting in a tight seven-game win for the Habs.

Buffalo, which is in the post-season for the first time since 2011, offered Montreal a different look on Wednesday, winning with puck-moving guile rather than brute strength.

Montreal’s 51-goal forward Cole Caufield has been kept in check throughout the playoffs and will be looking to break out in Game 2.

The series heads to Montreal’s Bell Centre for Game 3 on Sunday.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.