Sabres, Canadiens head to Game 7 Monday

The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens will decide their second-round series on Monday, May 18, after Buffalo’s 8-3 road win in Game 6 sent the matchup back to KeyBank Center. NHL.com said the winner will advance to the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Sabres extended the series Saturday night in Montreal after trailing 3-1 in the first period. Game 7 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET in Buffalo, according to NHL coverage and broadcast listings. ### How did Buffalo get this series back to one game? Saturday’s Game 6 turned on a seven-goal Buffalo run after Montreal built an early two-goal lead at Bell Centre. NHL.com’s recap said Rasmus Dahlin finished with five points, Tage Thompson had four points, and the Sabres avoided elimination with their highest-scoring game of the series. (nhl.com) The first period included a quick goaltending change for Buffalo. The Associated Press reported Alex Lyon stopped one of four shots before Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen entered in relief and made 17 saves, while NHL.com listed Luukkonen with 18 saves in the comeback win. (nhl.com) ### Which performances mattered most in Game 6? Rasmus Dahlin’s five-point night was the clearest individual marker from Buffalo’s win. NHL.com said the defenseman drove the offense as the Sabres erased the deficit and pulled away. Tage Thompson added four points, and Buffalo’s special teams also broke through. (apnews.com) NHL.com’s game coverage showed the Sabres generating offense from multiple lines and defense pairings as Montreal’s lead disappeared before the middle of the game. ### What is Montreal trying to recover from before Monday night? (nhl.com) Montreal had a chance to close out the series at home on Saturday, May 16, but conceded eight goals after the early advantage. NHL.com’s playoff coverage said the Canadiens were “shocked” by the Game 6 loss and entered Game 7 looking to respond after letting the series slip back to Buffalo. (nhl.com) Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens now return to a road setting for the deciding game. The series has already swung on momentum changes, and Montreal’s task is straightforward: win once in Buffalo or see its season end. That framing comes directly from the best-of-seven format and the current 3-3 series score. ### What exactly is at stake in Game 7? (nhl.com) Carolina is already waiting in the Eastern Conference final. NHL.com’s conference-finals schedule page lists the Hurricanes against either Montreal or Buffalo, with the remaining dates and television windows set to update once Monday’s result is final. (nhl.com) The winner of Monday’s game moves on; the loser’s season ends. NHL.com’s playoff series page described the matchup as a Game 7 for a trip to the East final, making it the last unresolved second-round series in the conference. ### Where can readers track the next round once the result is in? NHL.com has already posted the 2026 conference-finals schedule page, including dates, times and broadcast partners for the Eastern and Western finals. (nhl.com) That page is the league’s central schedule reference and is expected to reflect the Game 7 winner once Buffalo and Montreal finish Monday night. (nhl.com) Monday’s Game 7 is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, according to game listings, and the Eastern Conference finalist that emerges will next meet the Carolina Hurricanes under the schedule posted by NHL.com. (msn.com) (nhl.com)