Canadiens Take Control of Series With Commanding 6–2 Win Over Sabres in Game 3
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By Nemanja Petković
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Summary:
- Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook led Montréal with key goals and strong overall play.
- The Canadiens exploded in the second period to take full control of Game 3.
- Montreal now leads the series 2–1 with Game 4 returning to the Bell Centre.
The Montréal Canadiens offered one of their best performances of the postseason on Sunday night, beating the Buffalo Sabres 6–2 in Game 3 to take a 2–1 lead in their Stanley Cup 2026 second-round playoff series.
Back on Track
The win also marked Montréal’s first stretch of back-to-back victories in this playoff run, a sign that the team is starting to find its rhythm at the right time after losing the first game of the series.
Cole Caufield continued his strong playoff form, scoring his second goal of the postseason and adding an assist in a game that swung heavily in Montréal’s favour during a chaotic second period.
Alex Newhook also scored twice, including an empty net goal that sealed the deal for his side late in the third. Zachary Bolduc, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Kirby Dach also added to the scoring.
The Canadiens’ young core showed confidence in front of a particularly loud home crowd at the Bell Centre. Lane Hutson and Jake Evans each chipped in with two assists, while goaltender Jakub Dobes stopped 26 shots to steady the team whenever Buffalo tried to respond.
Buffalo briefly threatened early, with Tage Thompson opening the scoring just 53 seconds into the game and Rasmus Dahlin later contributing a goal and assist.
However, the Sabres struggled to maintain control as Montréal gradually took over the pace and physicality of the matchup.
Montréal Offence Ruled in the Second Period
The turning point was recorded in the second period, when Cole Caufield’s power play goal gave the Canadiens the lead they never gave back. From there, the game opened up.
Montréal’s special teams went two for five on the power play, with highlights from Slafkovsky’s midway through the second and Dach with a third-period finish that effectively put the game out of reach.
Newhook’s late empty net goal capped off a night where Montréal’s depth scoring and defensive structure finally clicked together. Buffalo, meanwhile, will head home looking to reset after dropping its first road game of the postseason.
Game 4 shifts back to Montréal on Tuesday night, where the Canadiens will try to build on their momentum in front of a fan base growing more confident with each win.
