Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction & Picks - NHL
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by Taavi Pailk | in NHL Picks
The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens clash for the fourth time in Round 2 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday at Bell Centre.
The Canadiens are hoping to grab a commanding 3-1 series lead on home ice after securing back-to-back wins. Following their 4-2 Game 1 victory, the Sabres appear to have allowed complacency to creep in, and giving up 11 goals in two games should be a wake-up call for the team.
Before falling apart defensively in the last two games, Buffalo had been hugely impressive this postseason. They scored 20 goals in their six-game series against Boston in Round 1 and also looked rock-solid at the back after Alex Lyon replaced Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the crease.
The last two results against the Canadiens mean that Lyon has suffered back-to-back losses for only the second time in 2026. He has consistently shown the ability to bounce back from poor performances and will be counted on to do the same on Tuesday night.
Montreal has grabbed the series lead, but the team still has concerning issues. In 10 playoff games, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky haven’t scored any points at even strength. Martin St. Louis’ side will be in major trouble if the depth scoring dries up.
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Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Form
Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres Latest Matches
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Montreal Canadiens against Buffalo Sabres : Head to Head (H2H)
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Players list
J. Dobes
J. Fowler
K. Guhle
L. Hutson
A. Xhekaj
A. Carrier
M. Matheson
N. Dobson
C. Caufield
A. Newhook
K. Dach
J. Evans
I. Demidov
Z. Bolduc
J. Slafkovsky
P. Danault
J. Anderson
J. Veleno
A. Texier
N. Suzuki
A. Lyon
U. Luukkonen
L. Schenn
O. Power
B. Byram
M. Samuelsson
C. Timmins
R. Dahlin
J. Quinn
P. Krebs
K. Helenius
J. Doan
R. McLeod
T. Thompson
A. Tuch
J. Zucker
B. Malenstyn
J. Norris
J. Greenway
Z. Benson
Most goals and assists
Montreal Canadiens
Buffalo Sabres
C. Caufield
(57 Goals)
T. Thompson
(45 Goals)
N. Suzuki
(84 Assists)
R. Dahlin
(65 Assists)
Montreal Canadiens - Buffalo Sabres Key Points
- Since the Olympic break, Buffalo has lost three games in a row just twice.
- Montreal hasn’t won three straight playoff games since 2021.
- The Canadiens, who have scored eight of their 29 postseason goals on the power play, are facing a strong 82.8 percent penalty kill.
- Despite being limited to three goals over the last two games, Buffalo still has one of the best offensive records in the league this postseason, with a 3.00 goals-for average.
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Our Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction
Tage Thompson, who finished Game 3 against Montreal with a goal and an assist, lamented the team’s lack of composure after Sunday’s 6-2 defeat. Buffalo will be determined to control its emotions in Tuesday’s contest, which should help the team execute its game plan better.
In Round 1 against Tampa Bay, this inexperienced Canadiens squad struggled to build a multi-game series lead. With their star players underperforming, it’s been difficult for the team to string together consecutive wins.
Our prediction for Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres: Sabres to win.
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