The magic finally ran out for the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. After clawing their way back from a two-goal deficit to force sudden death, Buffalo saw its grueling, exhilarating 2025-26 campaign come to an abrupt halt.
Montreal forward Alex Newhook found the back of the net at 11:22 of the overtime period, securing a 3-2 victory for the Canadiens at KeyBank Center and advancing them to the Eastern Conference Final. For Buffalo, it was a sudden and devastating end to a season that reinvigorated a franchise and its fanbase.
A Sluggish Start in a Raucous Building
The atmosphere was electric well before puck drop, amplified by the return of beloved anthem singer Doug Allen, who took the ice to deliver the American and Canadian national anthems. Despite the roaring home crowd, the Sabres looked nervous in the opening period while the Canadiens dictated the early pace.
Montreal capitalized on their initial pressure just four and a half minutes into the contest. Phillip Danault redirected a pass from Kaiden Guhle off his skate and past Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The officials ruled there was no distinct kicking motion, giving the Canadiens an early edge.
Later in the first period, a delay of game penalty issued to Zach Benson put Montreal on the man advantage. The Canadiens wasted no time, with Zachary Bolduc wiring a shot home from the circle to double the Montreal lead.
Resilience and the Rally
Despite falling into a 2-0 hole, Luukkonen kept Buffalo’s hopes alive. Just moments after the Bolduc tally, Luukkonen stood tall to deny Alexandre Texier on a clean breakaway, a crucial save that prevented the game from slipping completely out of reach.
Buffalo finally established their footing late in the second period. A gritty, sustained shift by the fourth line created chaos in front of Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson fired a shot from the point that deflected off Jordan Greenway and into the twine, cutting the deficit in half and injecting life back into the arena.
The momentum carried seamlessly into the third period. Buffalo dominated the puck possession, ultimately finding the equalizer just over six minutes in. Following an offensive zone faceoff win by Ryan McLeod, Owen Power orchestrated a brilliant sequence. The young defenseman walked the blue line, faked a shot, and feathered a pass to an uncovered Rasmus Dahlin. The captain ripped a wrist shot past Dobes, tying the game and sending KeyBank Center into a frenzy.
Controversy and Sudden Death
Buffalo nearly took the lead midway through the third period during a scramble in the Montreal crease. Beck Malenstyn appeared to poke a loose puck through Dobes, but the officials had already blown the play dead, ruling the puck frozen. The premature whistle erased a potential go-ahead goal, a sequence the coaching staff visibly disagreed with on the bench.
After failing to capitalize on their remaining regulation chances, the Sabres entered the overtime period brimming with confidence. Buffalo peppered Dobes with shots, outshooting Montreal 39-25 on the night, but the Canadiens weathered the storm.
A turnover in the neutral zone proved fatal. Montreal transitioned quickly off the rush, and with Jake Evans providing a disruptive screen in front of Luukkonen, Newhook snapped a shot from the top of the left circle that ended the series.
Looking at the Big Picture
The immediate aftermath in the Buffalo locker room was marked by shock and raw emotion. Players lamented the cruelty of a brilliant, hard-fought season boiling down to a single bounce in overtime. The consensus among the roster was that this group had the talent and drive to make a much deeper run, making the sudden finality of the loss incredibly difficult to swallow.
However, the coaching staff was quick to provide perspective. The message behind closed doors focused on immense pride. This Sabres squad resurrected themselves from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings in November to capture an Atlantic Division title, erasing a 14-season playoff drought in the process.
While the ultimate goal was not achieved, this playoff run laid a massive foundation. The youngest roster in the postseason proved they belong on the NHL’s biggest stage, restoring a deep sense of pride to Buffalo hockey.
Game 7 Box Score Summary
Goals
- 1st Period: MTL Phillip Danault (Guhle, Texier) | MTL Zachary Bolduc [PP] (Suzuki, Hutson)
- 2nd Period: BUF Jordan Greenway (Samuelsson, Malenstyn)
- 3rd Period: BUF Rasmus Dahlin (Power, McLeod)
- Overtime: MTL Alex Newhook (Carrier)
Team Stats
- Shots on Goal: BUF 39 | MTL 25
- Power Play: BUF 0/1 | MTL 1/1
- Faceoff %: BUF 53.6% | MTL 46.4%
- Blocked Shots: BUF 11 | MTL 22
- Hits: BUF 21 | MTL 28
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