6-3 Habs FINAL
Canadiens Lead Series 3-2
Montreal finally played a game on their terms, and it showed. They came out with a cleaner spine than they’ve had in weeks — tighter gaps, quicker exits, none of the loose, hopeful stuff that Buffalo had been feasting on. Once the Canadiens got the first one, you could feel the whole thing settle: the forecheck sharpened, the puck support tightened, and the Sabres’ structure — usually so calm and layered — started to fray at the edges.
Montreal didn’t overwhelm so much as they insisted, shift after shift, until the second goal felt like the natural consequence of a team that had rediscovered its own rhythm.
Buffalo, for their part, looked like a club trying to will a game back under control without ever finding the handle. They had their pushes, but nothing with the conviction or sequencing that’s defined their best nights. Too many one‑and‑done entries, too many pucks dying on the wall, too many moments where Montreal simply out‑worked the play.
By the time the horn went, the Sabres weren’t beaten so much as unstitched — not catastrophically, but enough to remind them that this matchup isn’t theirs to dictate. Montreal doubled the scoring, yes, but more importantly, they re‑opened the series to chaos, which is exactly where they’re most dangerous.
Stats and highlights at the source Montréal Canadiens - Buffalo Sabres - May 14, 2026 | NHL.com
