- The Canadiens and Sabres will meet in the second round for the first time since 1998
- Montreal survived a seven-game war with Tampa Bay while Buffalo dispatched Boston in six
- See my Sabres vs Canadiens prediction, Round 2 odds and full series schedule below
The Canadiens are still standing. Montreal advanced to Round 2 with one of the more improbable Game 7 wins you’ll ever see, beating Tampa Bay 2-1 on Sunday despite managing just nine shots on goal. Alex Newhook scored the go-ahead goal in the third and Jakub Dobes stopped 28 of 29 shots to close out the series.
Now comes the reward: a date with the well-rested Buffalo Sabres, who closed out Boston in six games and have been waiting. FanDuel has Montreal as a slight -122 series favorite, though DraftKings opened this as a dead-even pick ’em at -110 on both sides.
These two haven’t met in the playoffs since 1998. For the full second-round picture, check out our NHL playoff bracket.
Sabres vs Canadiens Round 2 Odds
The Sabres vs Canadiens odds at FanDuel show Montreal as a slight -122 series favorite, translating to a 55% implied probability. Buffalo is +102 on the other side, nearly a coin flip at 49.5%.
The series spread has Montreal -1.5 at +164, meaning the Habs need to win in four, five, or six games to cash. Buffalo +1.5 at -215 wins if the Sabres take the series or push it to a Game 7. The total games line is set at 6.5 with the under heavily juiced at -215.
Odds as of May 3 at FanDuel Sportsbook. Claim the FanDuel promo code to bet on Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Sabres vs Canadiens Series Schedule
*If necessary.
Sabres vs Canadiens Series Preview
The goaltending matchup could define this series. Alex Lyon has been otherworldly for Buffalo, posting a 1.21 GAA and .952 save percentage in four starts against Boston. He’s fresh and confident. Dobes has been excellent too (2.03 GAA, .923 SV% in seven games), but he just played a full seven-game series that included four overtimes and a Game 7 on the road.
Buffalo’s depth scoring has been the story of their playoff run. Alex Tuch (7 pts, +8), Tage Thompson (7 pts, +7) and Peyton Krebs (6 pts, +8) have all been outstanding, and Bowen Byram chipped in 5 points from the blueline. Eight different Sabres posted 3 or more points in Round 1.
Sabres vs Canadiens Round 1 Comparison
Montreal’s power play (19.2% in the playoffs, 23.1% in the regular season) is clearly the superior unit. Buffalo went just 1-for-24 on the man advantage against Boston, a dismal 4.2% clip. If that continues, the Habs’ PP could be the difference-maker, especially with Nick Suzuki (6 pts in R1), Lane Hutson (6 pts) and Juraj Slafkovsky (3 goals) driving the attack.
The concern for Montreal is fatigue and their star forwards going cold. Cole Caufield has just 1 goal and a -4 rating through seven playoff games, and Ivan Demidov has managed just 1 assist. Those two need to find their games in a hurry against a Buffalo defense anchored by Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Byram.
Home ice is worth monitoring. The regular season series was split 2-2, with each team winning both of their home games. Buffalo holds home ice for Round 2 with Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 at KeyBank Center.
Sabres vs Canadiens Prediction
- Sabres +102 Series Moneyline (+102 at FanDuel)
Give me Buffalo at plus money. The Sabres have the fresher legs, the hotter goalie in Lyon, and home ice in a matchup where both teams won every home game in the regular season. Montreal just played the most emotionally draining series possible and won Game 7 on nine shots. That kind of effort takes a toll.
The Habs’ power play is the one thing that scares me off this pick, but Buffalo’s PK was 87.5% in Round 1 and should be up for the challenge. I’ll take the Sabres at +102 and bet on rest, Lyon’s hot streak, and KeyBank Center being the difference.
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