Alex Newhook delivers again, scores second Game 7 winner of the playoffs to push Canadiens past the Sabres

BUFFALO — Alex Newhook scored his second Game 7-winning goal of the postseason, this time 11:22 into overtime in the Canadiens 3-2 win over the Sabres on Monday night.

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Newhook, who played two seasons at Boston College, drove up the left wing and as he approached the circle snapped a shot through a screen that beat goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen inside the far post. Newhook also scored the decisive goal, breaking a 1-1 tie 11:07 into the third period, in Game 7 of Montreal’s first-round series win over Tampa Bay.

“It’s a crazy feeling,” Newhook said of scoring back-to-back Game 7 winners. ”It’s fun. It’s why you play the game. I think we played well enough to win, so we’re looking forward now.”

Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored for the Canadiens. Jakub Dobes finished with 37 saves.

Rasmus Dahlin forced overtime by tying the game 6:27 into the third period. Jordan Greenway also scored. Luukkonen finished with 22 saves.

The Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference finals, where they’ll face the well-rested Hurricanes in a series set to open at Carolina on Thursday. The Hurricanes have swept each of their first two series, and been off since a 3-2 overtime win against Philadelphia on May 9.

Carolina’s 11-day break between playoffs games is the longest in NHL history.

The Canadiens advance to the NHL’s semifinal round for the first time since facing Vegas in the COVID-altered 2021 playoffs, in which Montreal eventually lost the Stanley Cup Final in five games to Tampa Bay.

“It’s got to be electric. I’m sure everywhere in Montreal is going nuts right now,” Newhook said. “We owe them a lot of credit. They showed up for us all series long, and can’t wait to get back to the Bell Centre for Game 3.”

This is the first playoff meeting between the two teams since Carolina beat Montreal in six games of a 2006 first-round series. The Hurricanes also beat Montreal in 2002, after going 0-5 against the Canadiens during its days as the Hartford Whalers.

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The Canadiens continue their upward trajectory a year after being eliminated in the first round by Washington.

“We’re a confident group,” Newhook said. ”We’ve added some pieces, and I think everyone’s kind of come together to play together and play their role to the best of their ability this far in playoffs. We’ve got to keep it rolling.”

Buffalo dropped to 1-7 in Game 7, including 1-3 in overtime.

The Sabres enter their offseason following a breakout year in which they won their first Atlantic Division title and ended an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo’s turnaround began in early December, when the team went from last in the East standings to finish second by going 39-9-5 over its final 53 games.

The Sabres’ first-round win over the Bruins was their first since 2007, and the team returns a young and talented group that reflects a promising future in Buffalo.

Trailing, 2-0, the Sabres cut Montreal’s lead 13:19 into the second period when Mattias Samuelsson’s shot grazed off Greenway and into the open left side past a screened Dobes. Dahlin then tied it after being set up by Owen Power to the left of the Montreal net, and fired a shot in before Dobes could get across.

Game 7 followed the series script in which each of the opening goals have been scored within the first seven minutes.

For only the second time, though, it was the Canadiens scoring first 4:30 in. Danault was parked in front and had Kaiden Guhle’s shot from the left circle deflect in off his skate.

Bolduc followed 10 minutes later with a one-timer from the right circle in which he beat Luukkonen high on the short side. Captain Nick Suzuki set up the goal with a cross-ice feed from the far corner.

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