Canadiens Beat Sabres in Overtime to Advance in Stanley Cup Playoffs

The playoff series between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens was about as close as it gets, with the deciding Game 7 going into overtime. Montreal scored twice in the first period to take a 2-0 lead, but Buffalo scored once in both the second and third periods and it was tied at 2-2 at the end of regulation.

At 11:32 of overtime, Montreal’s Alex Newhook took a shot that made it past goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and the Canadiens had won their second straight seven game Stanley Cup playoff series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. Montreal had previously beaten Tampa Bay in a seven game series, and the winning goal in Game 7 was also scored by Newhook.

It was a disappointing end to Buffalo’s season, a season where the Sabres finished with 109 points, second best in the Eastern Conference behind Carolina. But Buffalo ended a 14 season playoff drought after finishing with just 79 points in the 2025-26 season. The future is bright for both teams.