Canadiens Stun Sabres in Game 7 OT, Punch East Final Ticket
Cole Newhook scores the winner as Montreal advances past Buffalo with 3-2 victory in thrilling second-round series.
The Montreal Canadiens ended a second-round series that had no business going to Game 7—and certainly had no business going past it—by scoring in overtime to beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 Monday night at home, advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Newhook's goal in overtime delivered the kind of moment that playoff hockey lives for: the desperate dive, the crucial rebound, the season-saving finish. After Jakub Dobes had kept the Canadiens alive through a bruising seven-game affair—his performance in the crease earning constant praise from the Montreal faithful—Newhook made sure his goaltender's work wasn't wasted.
For the Sabres, the loss stings. They'd clawed back from series deficits, shown resilience in elimination games, and came achingly close to advancing. Buffalo hockey fans know the feeling. For Montreal, the narrative shifts: this is a team that didn't dominate but refused to quit, that found ways to win when comfort wasn't an option.
The Canadiens now head to the conference finals with momentum, a hot goaltender, and the psychological edge that comes from surviving a seven-game thriller. In playoff hockey, that's often worth more than regular-season dominance.