The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens are set for a high-stakes Atlantic Division clash in the 2026 Eastern Conference Second Round. Buffalo arrives with the Stanley Cup betting odds momentum of their first series win in nearly two decades. While Montreal looks to capitalize on its underdog status after a resilient Game 7 victory.
Buffalo enters as the #1 seed in the Atlantic Division (109 points) and holds home-ice advantage. They dispatched the Boston Bruins in six games. To show, Buffalo is experiencing significant growth after years of missing the postseason.
Meanwhile, Montreal, the #3 seed (106 points), advanced by upsetting the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games. Despite being outshot in the clincher, the Canadiens’ defensive structure and opportunistic scoring carried them through.
The regular season series between these two was perfectly balanced at 2-2-0. Specifically, the final matchup on January 31 saw Montreal overcome a 2-1 deficit in the third period with two goals from Cole Caufield to win 4-2.
This series features two of the hottest goaltenders in the 2026 postseason. Alex Lyon has the “hot hand” after taking over the Buffalo crease. However, Jakub Dobes has been a Sabres-killer all season.
If Montreal can force Buffalo into a low-event, defensive struggle similar to their Game 7 win over Tampa, they have the online wagering edge. Conversely, if Buffalo’s top-six forwards can exploit the Canadiens’ tendency to allow high-danger chances, the Sabres’ offensive firepower may be too much to overcome.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Second Round Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres
| Date and Time: | Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 7:00 PM ET. |
|---|---|
| Location: | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY. |
| TV Coverage: | TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canadiens | +1½ ( -235 ) | 5½ ( -120 ) | EV |  |
| Sabres | -1½ ( +190 ) | 5½ ( EV ) | -130 | |
| ||||
2026 Stanley Cup Final Series Schedule
- Game 1: Wednesday, May 6 – Canadiens at Sabres, 7:00 p.m. (KeyBank Center, Buffalo) – TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS
- Game 2: Friday, May 8 – Canadiens at Sabres, 7:00 p.m. (KeyBank Center, Buffalo) – TNT, truTV, HBO Max, SN, CBC, TVAS
- Game 3: Sunday, May 10 – Sabres at Canadiens, 7:00 p.m. (Bell Centre, Montreal) – ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
- Game 4: Tuesday, May 12 – Sabres at Canadiens, TBD (Bell Centre, Montreal) – ESPN
- Game 5 (if necessary): Thursday, May 14 – Canadiens at Sabres, TBD (KeyBank Center, Buffalo) – TNT, truTV, HBO Max
- Game 6 (if necessary): Saturday, May 16 – Sabres at Canadiens, TBD (Bell Centre, Montreal) – ABC or ESPN
- Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, May 18 – Canadiens at Sabres, TBD (KeyBank Center, Buffalo) – ESPN
Buffalo Sabres Overview
The Sabres’ primary catalyst has been a mid-series goaltending change. Namely, Alex Lyon took the net in Game 3 against Boston and posted an elite 1.14 goals-against average and .955 save percentage. Offensively, Buffalo relies on a heavy-hitting top line; Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson both recorded seven points in the first round.
On the blue line, Bowen Byram has emerged as a dual-threat, leading Sabres defenders with five points. However, Buffalo faces depth challenges as forwards Noah Ostlund and Sam Carrick are expected to remain out for this round. Due to lower-body and arm injuries.
Montreal Canadiens Overview
Montreal’s strategy revolves around standout Jakub Dobes, who went 4-3 with a 2.03 GAA in the opening round. Specifically, Dobes excelled against Buffalo during the regular season, posting a .943 save percentage in both starts.
Up front, Nick Suzuki remains the NHL Playoff betting odds engine of the offense. Correlate that he posted eight points against the Sabres in their four regular-season meetings. He is flanked by Cole Caufield, whose four goals against Buffalo this year make him the primary threat Alex Lyon must neutralize. The return of defenseman Noah Dobson in Game 7 of the first round significantly stabilizes a young Montreal defensive corps. Including rookie standout Lane Hutson.