Canadiens Defeat Sabres in OT Thriller to Reach East Final

Summary:

• Alex Newhook scored the overtime winner to send Montréal to the Eastern Conference finals.
• The Canadiens will face Carolina, which enters the series after an NHL record 11 day playoff break.
• Buffalo’s impressive season ended despite a major turnaround and first playoff appearance in 14 years.

The Montréal Canadiens are on their way to the Eastern Conference finals following a dramatic overtime victory against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 on Monday night.

Newhook, The Hero of the Night 

Alex Newhook was again Montréal’s hero, scoring 11 minutes and 22 seconds into overtime to secure a thrilling 3 to 2 win in front of a roaring crowd. It marked his second Game 7 winning goal of the postseason and continued his breakout playoff run.

The game winner came after Newhook carried the puck up the left side before he fired a shot through traffic that defeated Buffalo goalie Ukko Pekka Luukkonen inside the far post. 

ALEX NEWHOOK. LE HÉROS DES MATCHS 7!!!!!!

ALEX NEWHOOK. THE GAME 7 HERO!!!!!!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/C35m5NUpDi

— x – Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026

The goal instantly sent Canadiens fans into celebration and kept Montréal’s surprising postseason alive.

Newhook had already proven his value earlier in the playoffs when he scored the deciding goal in Montréal’s first-round Game 7 victory against Tampa Bay.

Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored for the Canadiens, while goaltender Jakub Dobes delivered one of his strongest performances of the season with 37 saves.

L'un des 37(!) arrêts de Jakub Dobes

One of 37(!) saves by Jakub Dobes#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/DRdPo0ppLn

— x – Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026

Buffalo Didn’t Go Quietly 

Rasmus Dahlin tied the game midway through the third period after the Sabres pushed hard for an equalizer. Jordan Greenway also scored for Buffalo, while Luukkonen stopped 22 shots in defeat.

The Canadiens now move on to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, with Game 1 scheduled for Thursday in Carolina. The Hurricanes enter the series well rested after sweeping both of their previous playoff matchups. 

Carolina has not played since May 9, giving the team an unprecedented 11 day break between postseason games, the longest in NHL history.

For Montréal, the run marks another major step forward for a young team that was knocked out in the first round last year by Washington. It is also the franchise’s deepest playoff appearance since the 2021 season, when the Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Final before losing to Tampa Bay.

Buffalo’s season may have ended in disappointment, but the Sabres leave the playoffs with renewed optimism especially after leveling the series last game. After missing the postseason for 14 straight years, Buffalo captured the Atlantic Division title and completed one of the NHL’s most remarkable turnarounds.