Canadiens beat Sabres 3-2 in OT

Montreal advanced to the Eastern Conference final on Monday when Alex Newhook scored at 11:22 of overtime in a 3-2 Game 7 win over Buffalo at KeyBank Center, NHL.com reported. The goal ended the Canadiens’ second-round series 4-3 and completed the conference-final field. Carolina, which had already advanced, will host Game 1 on Thursday in Raleigh. ### Who delivered the goal that ended the series? Alex Newhook scored the winner 11:22 into overtime after Montreal and Buffalo finished regulation tied 2-2, according to NHL.com. The Canadiens were outshot 39-25 in the game, but the overtime finish gave Montreal its fourth win of the series. (nhl.com) NHL.com’s game report said the win sent Montreal into the East final against Carolina. The same report identified the setting as KeyBank Center in Buffalo and listed Monday, May 18, as the date of the clincher. ### How did the result reshape the playoff bracket? The NHL’s conference-finals schedule lists Montreal, the Atlantic Division’s No. 3 seed, against Carolina, the Metropolitan Division’s No. 1 seed, in the Eastern Conference final. (nhl.com) Game 1 is set for Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT in Raleigh, with Game 2 on Friday, May 23, before the series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on May 25. NHL.com said Carolina had been waiting on the winner after finishing its own second-round series earlier. A separate league preview published Tuesday said the Canadiens and Hurricanes reached the round through “opposite paths” in the first two rounds. ### How long has Carolina been waiting for this matchup? (nhl.com) Carolina last played on May 9, when it finished off Philadelphia with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 4 of the second round, NHL.com said. That gave the Hurricanes a 12-day gap between games before the East final opens on May 21. (nhl.com) ESPN’s conference-finals preview, reflected in search results published Tuesday, also noted that Carolina had last played May 9 while Montreal was coming off the Monday overtime clincher against Buffalo. NHL.com on Wednesday described Carolina as “very well-rested” heading into the series. (nhl.com) ### What did Buffalo’s exit look like from its side? Buffalo was eliminated Monday with the 3-2 overtime loss at home after forcing a Game 7 in the series, NHL.com said. The league’s elimination story cited Sabres coach Lindy Ruff saying, “This is a giant step for us,” after the loss. (msn.com) NHL.com said the Sabres’ run still carried weight for a team that pushed into the second round and took Montreal to a deciding game. Ruff said he was able to appreciate that progress even after the overtime defeat, according to the league’s report. ### What happens next, and when? (nhl.com) Thursday, May 21, is the next date on the schedule for Montreal and Carolina, with puck drop set for 8 p.m. EDT at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, according to the NHL schedule and local station ABC11. The Eastern Conference final then continues Friday, May 23, before moving to Montreal on Monday, May 25. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)