The Montreal Canadiens are moving on in the Stanley Cup playoffs after Alex Newhook scored at 11:22 of overtime to beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in Game 7 on Monday night in Buffalo.
The result ended Buffalo’s best playoff run in years and sent Montreal into the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes. For fans asking whether the Sabres won last night, the answer is no: Buffalo erased a two-goal deficit but could not finish the comeback before Newhook ended the series.
Newhook Delivers Another Game 7 Moment
Newhook’s overtime winner gave Montreal its second Game 7 victory of this postseason and turned a tense, grinding road game into one of the defining moments of the Canadiens’ playoff run.
The forward had already built a reputation for big moments earlier in the playoffs, and his latest goal carried added weight because it came on the road, in sudden death, with the series and Buffalo’s season hanging on one shot. Montreal had spent much of the night protecting a lead, then had to recover emotionally after the Sabres pushed back in the third period.
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored for the Canadiens, giving Montreal the early control it needed in a hostile building. Goaltender Jakub Dobes made 37 saves, holding Buffalo off long enough for Newhook to finish the series.
Sabres Rally Falls Short In Game 7
Buffalo trailed 2-0 before Jordan Greenway and Rasmus Dahlin brought the Sabres level, briefly shifting the energy inside KeyBank Center. Dahlin’s goal continued a strong postseason finish for the Buffalo captain, who had also delivered a five-point performance in Game 6.
The Sabres had entered the night with momentum after an 8-3 win in Montreal forced Game 7. That response showed the resilience of Lindy Ruff’s team, especially after falling behind in the series and facing elimination on the road. But Game 7 demanded one more push, and Buffalo could not convert its late pressure into a series-winning goal.
Tage Thompson, Dahlin and Buffalo’s core gave the franchise its most meaningful spring in more than a decade. Still, the loss means the Sabres will wait at least one more year for their first conference final appearance since 2007.
How Montreal Took The Series
The Canadiens won the second-round matchup 4-3 after a back-and-forth series that featured major momentum swings. Buffalo opened with a 4-2 win, but Montreal answered with three victories in the next four games, including a 6-3 Game 5 win that pushed the Sabres to the brink.
Buffalo’s Game 6 surge was the series’ loudest response. The Sabres scored seven straight goals in Montreal and forced the decisive game with one of their best performances of the playoffs. Dahlin, Thompson, Jack Quinn and Zach Benson helped turn that game into a statement that Buffalo was not ready for its season to end.
Montreal absorbed that setback and still found enough structure in Game 7. The Canadiens did not dominate the night from start to finish, but they managed the pressure, got timely goaltending and waited for the chance that eventually came in overtime.
What The Loss Means For Buffalo
For the Sabres, the ending hurts because the opportunity was real. Buffalo had home ice, a energized crowd and enough late pressure to make Montreal uncomfortable. A team that had spent years trying to escape the league’s playoff wilderness finally gave its fans a deep run, only to fall one goal short of the Eastern Conference Final.
Ruff’s return behind the bench helped restore identity and urgency to the group. Dahlin remains the franchise anchor on defense, Thompson is still the top offensive centerpiece, and younger players such as Benson gave Buffalo important postseason experience.
The immediate disappointment will be heavy, but the broader view is more complicated. The Sabres did not simply return to the playoffs; they won a round, pushed another series to overtime in Game 7 and proved they can play meaningful hockey in May. The next challenge is turning a breakthrough season into a standard rather than an exception.
Canadiens Move On To Carolina
Montreal now faces Carolina in the Eastern Conference Final, with Game 1 set for Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes reached the round after sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers, giving them extra rest before the matchup.
Martin St. Louis’ team enters with momentum and another layer of belief after surviving two Game 7 tests. Nick Suzuki, Newhook, Danault and the Canadiens’ supporting cast have given Montreal enough scoring depth to stay alive in tight games, while Dobes’ Game 7 performance gives the club confidence in net.
The next series will test Montreal in a different way. Carolina’s pace, defensive pressure and rest advantage create a difficult opening assignment, especially after the Canadiens had to empty the tank in Buffalo.
Stanley Cup Playoff Picture Tightens
Montreal’s win clarifies the Eastern side of the NHL playoff bracket and ends one of the postseason’s most compelling second-round matchups. The Canadiens are four wins from the Stanley Cup Final, while the Sabres leave with a painful ending but a stronger foundation than they have had in years.
For Buffalo, the final score will linger: Canadiens 3, Sabres 2 in overtime. For Montreal, the same score now becomes part of a growing playoff story built on survival, timing and another decisive goal from Newhook.
