NHL

Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres

· East 2nd Round - Game 2

Sabres take 1-0 lead into game 2 against the Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Sabres -138, Canadiens +116; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Sabres lead series 1-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 1-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the sixth time this season. The Sabres won the previous matchup 4-2.

Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall with a 21-7-5 record in Atlantic Division play. The Sabres are seventh in league play serving 9.7 penalty minutes per game.

Montreal is 20-11-3 against the Atlantic Division and 48-24-10 overall. The Canadiens have a 20-8-2 record in games they score one or more power-play goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has six goals and four assists over the past 10 games.

Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has scored three goals and added six assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-1-2, averaging 3.7 goals, 5.8 assists, 4.6 penalties and 11.1 penalty minutes while giving up 1.8 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, 5.3 penalties and 11.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: day to day (arm), Rasmus Dahlin: day to day (undisclosed), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).

Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

Regular Season Series

Series tied 2-2

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMTL https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/buf.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originBUF
3.06 Goals Against Average 2.93
27.8 Shots Against per Game 29.1
78.2 Penalty Kill Percentage 81.9
54 Power Play Goals Against 42
0 Short Handed Goals Against 0
3.40 Goals For per Game 3.45
26.3 Shots per Game 28.1
56 Power Play Goals 48
23.1 Power Play Percentage 19.5
8 Short Handed Goals 11
849 Penalty Minutes 797
Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Sam Carrick, C Day-To-Day May 6
Noah Ostlund, C Out May 3
Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE

Game Information

KeyBank Center

Location: Buffalo, NY
Capacity:

2025-26 Atlantic Division Standings

TEAM W L PTS OTL
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/buf.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Buffalo 50 23 109 9
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Tampa Bay 50 26 106 6
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Montreal 48 24 106 10
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/bos.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Boston 45 27 100 10
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/ott.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Ottawa 44 27 99 11
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/det.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Detroit 41 31 92 10
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/fla.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Florida 40 38 84 4
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tor.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Toronto 32 36 78 14
Full Standings
Canadiens Last 5
Date OPP Result
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB L 3-2
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB W 3-2
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB L 1-0 OT
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB W 2-1
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/buf.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> BUF L 4-2
Sabres Last 5
Date OPP Result
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/bos.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> BOS W 3-1
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/bos.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> BOS W 6-1
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/bos.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> BOS L 2-1 OT
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/bos.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> BOS W 4-1
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> MTL W 4-2