The Montreal Canadiens are headed to the Eastern Conference Final after edging the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in an intense overtime battle Monday night. The Canadiens last reached the conference final in 2021.
Alex Newhook delivered the deciding moment, scoring 11:22 into overtime to send Montreal to the next round. It marked his second Game 7 winner of the postseason after previously lifting the Canadiens past the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1. “It’s a crazy feeling. A lot of emotion, obviously,” Newhook said. “It was a war all series long, and for it to end up being Game 7 in overtime, sometimes it just takes one shot.”
The Canadiens came out fast, building a 2-0 first-period advantage on goals from Phillip Danault and Zack Bolduc. Danault opened the scoring after redirecting a pass from Kaiden Guhle, while Bolduc buried a power-play one-timer off a slick setup from captain Nick Suzuki.
Buffalo responded in the second and third periods. Jordan Greenway cut the deficit to one after a fortunate deflection in front, and captain Rasmus Dahlin tied the game early in the third with a sharp one-timer from the left circle. Despite Buffalo’s push, Montreal regained control late and dominated stretches of overtime before Newhook fired home the winner off a cross-ice feed from Alexandre Carrier.
Jakub Dobes stopped 37 shots for Montreal, bouncing back strongly after being pulled in Game 6. “I actually felt really good this game,” Dobes said. “I think me getting pulled at home was kind of a wake-up call. I took it personal.”
Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis praised the experience his young group is gaining through high-pressure playoff moments. “Last year’s experience in the playoffs, what we’re going through right now, you can’t buy that,” St. Louis said. “I’m so happy for the players to live that.””
The loss ended a strong season for Buffalo, which entered the playoffs as the Atlantic Division’s top seed. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 22 saves in defeat. “It’s tough. It stings,” Sabres forward Tage Thompson said. “I don’t think anyone in this room felt like we were done yet.”
Montreal’s playoff surge has also put the franchise in rare company, making this Canadiens group the youngest team to reach the conference final since the club’s 1993 championship season. They now advance to face the Carolina Hurricanes, with Game 1 set for Thursday in Raleigh.
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