The Eastern Conference Second Round series between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens remains tied at two games apiece. Following four hard-fought contests that have showcased the best of both young Atlantic Division rivals. This is their first postseason meeting since 1998, when Buffalo swept Montreal. The Sabres advanced past Boston in six games. While the Canadiens took out Tampa Bay in seven, setting up this intense NHL betting battle.
Game one in Buffalo saw the Sabres win with strong contributions from Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod, and Zach Benson. And then Montreal responded powerfully in game two, behind Alex Newhook’s two goals to even the series.
Back in Montreal for game three, the Canadiens dominated six to two with goals from Cole Caufield, Newhook, and Juraj Slafkovsky. While Jakub Dobes stood tall in the net, giving Montreal the series lead. However, in game four, the Sabres stole a 3-2 thriller on the road as Zach Benson scored the power play winner on his twenty-first birthday. Additionally, he was supported by excellent goaltending from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and a key contribution from Tage Thompson.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens NHL Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Thursday, May 14, 2026, 7:00 PM ET. |
|---|---|
| Location: | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY. |
| TV Coverage: | TNT |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabres | +1½ ( -255 ) | 6 ( EV ) | -110 |  |
| Canadiens | -1½ ( +205 ) | 6 ( -120 ) | -120 | |
| ||||
Remaining Schedule (Best-of-7, first team to 4 wins advances)
Game 5: Thursday, May 14 – Canadiens @ Sabres (KeyBank Center, Buffalo), 7:00 PM ET — Sabres have home-ice advantage here and will look to seize momentum in front of their crowd.
Game 6: Saturday, May 16 – Sabres @ Canadiens (Bell Centre, Montreal), time TBA — If necessary, Montreal will lean on their passionate home fans to push for the series-clincher.
Game 7: Monday, May 18 – Canadiens @ Sabres (KeyBank Center, Buffalo), time TBA — Winner-take-all if the series goes the distance.
Previous Series Results
Game 1 (May 6, Buffalo): Sabres jumped out to a 1-0 series lead with a 4-2 win at home.
Game 2 (May 8, Buffalo): Canadiens roared back, dominating 5-1 to even things up.
Game 3 (May 10, Montreal): The Habs took a 2-1 series lead with a convincing 6-2 home victory.
Game 4 (May 12, Montreal): Sabres refused to fold on the road, stealing a 3-2 thriller to knot the series at 2-2
So far, Buffalo showed they can compete in Montreal’s intense environment. Now Game five heads to KeyBank Center on Thursday, where the Sabres will try to seize an online betting series lead, leveraging a strong home record. Finally, if needed, Game Six returns to the Bell Centre. And then a decisive game seven would be back in Buffalo on Monday.
Buffalo features Tage Thompson’s scoring and playmaking, Rasmus Dahlin’s two-way NHL betting dominance. Also, there is young speed from Benson and Doan. In addition, they have reliable goaltending. While Montreal counters with Cole Caufield’s elite finishing, Nick Suzuki‘s leadership, and Juraj Slafkovsky’s physical edge. Also, rookie defenseman Lane Hutson and Dobes are emerging as playoff stars. Both sides have shown solid special teams, physical forechecking, and structured defense, making every shift critical.
SBG Free Picks
To summarize, home teams have dominated the first four games. Consider that the next three are potentially split between the two buildings. Buffalo’s home edge in a must-win environment for both sides tips the scales. Previously, betting markets in the series saw it nearly even or slightly favoring Montreal at times. But the Sabres’ resilience in stealing Game four and returning to KeyBank Center makes them the sharper pick to close it out in six or seven games.
SBG Best Bet: Buffalo Sabres to Win Series.