Sabres rally to beat the Canadiens to force Game 7
MONTREAL — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves after starter Alex Lyon stopped only one of the four shots he faced, and the Sabres roared back to beat the Canadiens, 8-3, on Saturday night and force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The winner Monday night in Buffalo will face Carolina for the conference title and a chance to play for the Stanley Cup. The Hurricanes swept both of their series.
The Sabres came back after trailing 3-1 midway through the first period.
Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and four assists, Jack Quinn scored twice and added an assist, and Tage Thompson had three assists and an empty-net goal. Zach Benson and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist and Konsta Helenius and Zach Metsa also scored.
ANOTHER ONE FOR THE KID#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/UYOWua7hfg
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) May 17, 2026
Arber Xhekaj, Ivan Demidov, and Jake Evans scored for Montreal. Jakub Dobes stopped 27 of 33 shots for Montreal, and Jacob Fowler made a save and allowed a goal in relief.
After Dahlin opened the scoring 32 seconds in, Montreal chased Lyon with the three-goal burst.
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Xhekaj tied it at 1:40, Demidov scored on a power play at 8:12 and Evans made it 3-1 on a shorthanded break with 9:46 left. Luukkonen then took over in goal, and Zucker got one back for Buffalo on a power play with 6:04 to go in the period.
Circonstances habituelles : Evans et Anderson en 2 contre 1!
Just another day at the office with Evans and Anderson on a 2-on-1!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/AqPhdGTylm
— x – Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 17, 2026
Benson tied it a minute into the second, slipping in a short backhander from the left side. Quinn put Buffalo ahead on a power play with 9:06 left in the second, slapping a one-timer from the top of the right circle past Dobes. Helenius made it 5-3 with 7:01 remaining in the period, striking from short range.
Quinn added his second of the night on a power play midway through the third. Metsa capped the scoring on a power play with 2:13 to go.
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Buffalo was 4 for 6 on the power play. Montreal was 1 for 3.
Have a night, Quinner! 👏 pic.twitter.com/r2DGeZ6y9X
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) May 17, 2026
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