Canadiens surge, Newhook scores twice

Montreal’s surge was real. It just didn’t last unchallenged. After Alex Newhook scored twice in back-to-back games and helped swing the second-round series, the Buffalo Sabres punched back with a 3-2 win in Game 4 on Tuesday, May 12, at Bell Centre, evening the series at 2-2. ### What changed in this series? The biggest shift is that this stopped being a Buffalo-controlled matchup. The Sabres won Game 1, but Montreal took Game 2 by a 5-1 score and then rolled through Game 3, 6-2, behind another two-goal night from Newhook. For 48 hours, the story was Montreal’s speed, depth scoring, and the noise inside Bell Centre. Then Game 4 reset the whole thing. (nhl.com) ### Why was Newhook suddenly such a big deal? Because he gave Montreal exactly the kind of offense playoff teams usually spend all spring begging for — scoring from outside the obvious stars. Newhook scored two goals in Game 2, then did it again in Game 3, including an empty-netter. That gave him four goals across two games and helped turn a 0-1 series deficit into a 2-1 lead. (newsday.com) ### What happened in Game 3? Game 3 was Montreal’s clearest statement win. The Canadiens beat Buffalo 6-2 on Sunday, May 10, with Newhook scoring twice again, Cole Caufield adding a goal and an assist, and Montreal piling up four straight goals. That was the night the series really felt like it had tilted. Buffalo looked reactive. Montreal looked loose and confident. (newsday.com) ### Where did Dobes fit into that? Jakub Dobes mattered because Montreal’s push wasn’t just about finishing chances. It was also about getting stable goaltending behind the rush. In Game 2, he was part of the reason Buffalo never really got back into the game, and by the time Montreal headed home, the Canadiens suddenly had the feel of a team getting saves at the right moment and goals from the right places. That’s a dangerous playoff mix. (nhl.com) ### So why did Buffalo stop the slide? Special teams, basically. In Game 4, Zach Benson scored the go-ahead goal on the power play early in the third period, and Buffalo held on from there. Tage Thompson finished with a goal and an assist, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves. Montreal still kept it tight, but the Sabres were sharper in the moments that decide playoff games. (msn.com) ### Does that erase Montreal’s momentum? Not really — but it changes what that momentum means. Instead of Montreal entering Game 5 with a chance to take total control, the series is now back to a best-of-three. The Canadiens proved they can rattle Buffalo and generate secondary scoring. The Sabres proved they can absorb that punch and answer immediately. (nhl.com) ### What should matter most now? Whether Newhook’s burst turns into a lasting matchup problem. One hot scorer can flip a game. A depth scorer who keeps forcing defensive adjustments can flip a series. Buffalo prevented that from snowballing in Game 4, but Montreal already showed the formula — quick pressure, home-ice energy, and production beyond the top line. (nhl.com) ### Bottom line Newhook’s two-goal games were the engine behind Montreal’s surge, and for a moment they changed the tone of the series. But Tuesday’s result mattered just as much. Buffalo didn’t just survive the swing — it erased it, and now the Canadiens have to prove that their breakout was more than a two-game rush. (nhl.com)