Montreal odds shorten to +950

Stanley Cup futures moved because Montreal didn’t just win Game 3 — the Canadiens took control of the night and, for bettors, changed the feel of the series. They beat Buffalo 6-2 on Sunday, May 10, at Bell Centre and moved ahead 2-1 in the second-round matchup. By Monday, books had chopped Montreal’s Cup price to around +950, while Buffalo drifted back toward the mid-teens or longer. ### What happened in Game 3? Montreal gave up the first goal 53 seconds in, then basically steamrolled the rest of the game. Alex Newhook scored twice for the second straight game, Cole Caufield had a goal and an assist, and the Canadiens ripped off four straight goals on the way to a 6-2 win. That’s the kind of playoff result that feels bigger than one game because it flips both the scoreline and the mood. (nhl.com) ### Why did the odds move so hard? Futures prices are part math, part path, and part vibe. The math changed because Montreal now leads the series 2-1. The path changed because the Canadiens reclaimed home-ice leverage with another game in Montreal. And the vibe changed because this wasn’t a coin-flip overtime win — it was a four-goal margin that made Buffalo look rattled and Montreal look deeper and faster. (nhl.com) ### What does +950 actually mean? It means a $100 bet would return $950 in profit if Montreal wins the Stanley Cup. More important, it signals that sportsbooks now see the Canadiens as a real tier-two contender instead of a long shot hanging around the bracket. Covers listed Montreal as “on the move,” and FanDuel’s board had the Canadiens alongside Buffalo and Vegas in that next cluster behind the top favorites. (nhl.com) ### How big was the change from last week? Pretty big. One odds board from May 8 had Buffalo at +850 and Montreal all the way back at +2000 before this swing. After Game 3, Covers showed Buffalo down to +1700 and Montreal shortened sharply. So this wasn’t a tiny market nudge — it was a reset in how the series winner is being valued in the wider Cup race. (covers.com) ### Why is Alex Newhook such a big part of this? Because repeatable offense is what changes belief in a playoff team. Newhook scoring two goals in back-to-back games tells bettors Montreal isn’t leaning on one hot bounce or one star carrying everything. Caufield and Lane Hutson also chipped in Sunday, which makes the Canadiens look more like a team with multiple ways to win — and that always shortens futures. (lasvegassportsbetting.com) ### Does Buffalo still have a real shot? Yes — but the market is charging more for the risk now. Buffalo was in a much stronger futures position before dropping two straight, and the Game 3 loss was ugly enough that books pushed the Sabres back toward +1700 or even +2000 depending on the board. That doesn’t mean Buffalo is done. It means bettors now need a better payout to take the comeback case seriously. (nhl.com) ### Is this only about one game? Not really. One game triggered it, but the move is really about what that game suggested — Montreal’s speed, scoring depth, and control at home may be more real than the market priced in a few days earlier. That’s why a single result can move a futures board so much in May. In the playoffs, one convincing win can rewrite the bracket faster than a week of regular-season data ever could. (covers.com) ### Bottom line Montreal’s odds shortened because the Canadiens gave bettors a clearer story to believe in. A 6-2 win, a 2-1 series lead, and another huge night from Newhook turned them from an interesting underdog into a credible Cup threat — at least for now. (nhl.com)