Montreal Canadiens beat Buffalo 3-2

The Montreal Canadiens moved into the Eastern Conference Final on Monday night with a 3-2 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 at KeyBank Center. Alex Newhook scored at 11:22 of overtime to end the second-round series and send Montreal through 4-3, according to NHL.com. The result set up a conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes, who had already advanced after sweeping their first two playoff series. Montreal, which owns an NHL-record 24 Stanley Cup titles, is back in the final four after surviving a series that went the distance. ### Who delivered the goal that ended Buffalo’s season? Alex Newhook scored the winner 11:22 into overtime, beating Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to finish the game 3-2. NHL.com said the goal clinched Game 7 and sent Montreal into the next round. Buffalo outshot Montreal 39-25, according to the NHL game summary, but the Canadiens found the decisive finish in extra time. (nhl.com) The Game 7 win was Montreal’s second winner-take-all victory of the postseason, a detail highlighted in the league’s coverage of the team’s playoff run. ### How did Montreal get through the series? Montreal won the series 4-3 after dropping the first two games, according to the Canadiens’ team site. (nhl.com) The club said the Canadiens recovered from that early hole to eliminate Buffalo in seven games on Monday. NHL.com’s recap identified the game as the Eastern Conference Second Round finale and said the Canadiens advanced by taking the deciding game on the road in Buffalo. (nhl.com) The league’s playoff roundup listed the result as Canadiens 3, Sabres 2 in overtime, with Montreal advancing 4-3. ### What does the matchup with Carolina look like? (nhl.com) Carolina will face Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final after opening the playoffs with back-to-back sweeps. The Hurricanes’ team site said Carolina reached the round after winning its first eight postseason games, while NHL.com said the teams arrived there by very different paths. (nhl.com) NHL.com’s series preview said Carolina became the first team since 1987 to start a postseason 8-0 after the league adopted best-of-seven series in all four rounds. Montreal, by contrast, advanced after a seven-game series against Buffalo and previously needed another Game 7 to get through the first round. (nhl.com) ### How unusual is this stage for Montreal? Montreal owns 24 Stanley Cup championships, the most in NHL history, a point noted in league and ESPN preview coverage of the conference final. The Canadiens have not been a routine presence at this stage in recent years, which gave added weight to Monday’s result. NHL.com said Carolina and Montreal have not met often in the postseason in recent decades, citing their most recent playoff series as a six-game conference quarterfinal in 2006. (nhl.com) That gives the upcoming matchup a relatively thin recent history despite the franchises’ long tenure in the league. ### When and where is the next game? (nhl.com) Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final is scheduled for Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes’ team site said the series opens at Lenovo Center, and NHL.com’s conference-finals schedule listed Montreal at Carolina at 8 p.m. ET. The best-of-seven series will decide which team reaches the Stanley Cup Final. (nhl.com) As of Tuesday’s published schedule, Montreal’s next opponent is Carolina, with the opener set for Thursday night in Raleigh. (nhl.com)