2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference SFs
Game 7: Montreal Canadiens (A3) @ Buffalo Sabres (A1)
Series tied 3-3
Start time: 7:30 PM EDT / 4:30 PM PDT
In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the United States: ESPN
Streaming: Sportsnet+
For the first time in the playoffs, Jakub Dobeš was removed without completing a game, allowing more than three goals for the second time this round when he surrendered six, including three power-play goals. The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, have been forced to make a goalie change in each of the past two games after Montreal lit up Alex Lyon will three goals on four shots in Game 6, and sent five past tonight’s starter, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, in the first two periods of Game 5.
Dobeš has the benefit of a larger body of work in this post-season, starting all 13 games so far, including Game 7 last round when he allowed one goal on 29 shots. Luukkonen will be getting just his fourth start of the playoffs, and was also pulled from a previous one versus Boston for being unable to stop their offence.
The best thing both teams can do is make life as simple as possible for their netminder, and that means avoiding senseless penalties. Buffalo has been guilty of that a lot in this series, but last game it was a careless high stick from Mike Matheson that put the team on a four-minute penalty kill and started the Sabres’ comeback from quickly falling behind 3-1. The Canadiens’ best chance to claim the win is a plan that has already worked multiple times in this series: get a lead, stay composed on defence as the Sabres go on an all-out attack (the step their most senior defenceman fumbled last game), and continue to put up offensive pressure on counters when the overexuberant Sabres defencemen get caught too deep in the offensive zone.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| #13 Cole Caufield | #14 Nick Suzuki | #20 Juraj Slafkovský |
| #15 Alex Newhook | #71 Jake Evans | #93 Ivan Demidov |
| #76 Zachary Bolduc | #91 Oliver Kapanen | #77 Kirby Dach |
| #85 Alexandre Texier | #24 Phillip Danault | #17 Josh Anderson |
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| #21 Kaiden Guhle | #48 Lane Hutson |
| #8 Mike Matheson | #45 Alexandre Carrier |
| #72 Arber Xhekaj | #53 Noah Dobson |
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| #75 Jakub Dobeš | #32 Jacob Fowler |
Scratched: Owen Beck, Adam Engström, Brendan Gallagher, Patrik Laine, Samuel Montembeault, David Reinbacher, Jayden Struble, Joe Veleno, Florian Xhekaj
Buffalo Sabres projected lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| #6 Zach Benson | #9 Josh Norris | #72 Tage Thompson |
| #91 Josh Doan | #71 Ryan McLeod | #89 Alex Tuch |
| #17 Jason Zucker | #94 Konsta Helenius | #22 Jack Quinn |
| #12 Jordan Greenway | #19 Peyton Krebs | #29 Beck Malenstyn |
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| #26 Rasmus Dahlin | #23 Mattias Samuelsson |
| #4 Bowen Byram | #25 Owen Power |
| #73 Zach Metsa | #21 Conor Timmins |
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| #1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | #34 Alex Lyon |
Injured: Sam Carrick, Justin Danforth, Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund
Scratched: Josh Dunne, Colten Ellis, Michael Kesselring, Tyson Kozak, Tanner Pearson, Luke Schenn, Logan Stanley
