Montreal Advances to Eastern Conference Final with Newhook's Overtime Goal in Game 7
In the decisive game of the series against Buffalo, the Canadiens won 3-2 in overtime. Alex Newhook became the second player in league history to score multiple goals in Game 7s of a single postseason.
Main Event
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime in a dramatic Game 7 of the second round of the NHL playoffs, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final. The game took place on Monday, May 18, 2026, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The hero of the night was forward Alex Newhook, who scored the winning goal at 11:22 of overtime.
This goal was historic—Newhook became only the second player in NHL history to score multiple game-winning goals in Game 7s within a single Stanley Cup playoffs. Earlier in the first round, he had already clinched a Game 7 victory for the Canadiens against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring in the third period.
Details and Statistics
The game unfolded dramatically. In the first period, Montreal took control—at 4:00, Phillip Danault opened the scoring, finishing a pass from Kaiden Guhle and Alexandre Texier. At 14:00, Zachary Bolduc doubled the lead on the power play, with assists from Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson.
Buffalo turned the tide. In the second period, Jordan Greenway cut the deficit, and in the third, Rasmus Dahlin tied the game at 6:27. The Sabres nearly won in regulation—Beck Malenstyn pushed the puck into Montreal's net, but the referee had blown the whistle a split second earlier.
Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobeš stopped 37 shots, a key factor in the win. His counterpart, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, made 22 saves.
Newhook's stats in the second round were impressive: 6 goals and 1 assist in seven games. That is the second-highest goal total by a Montreal player in a single series over the last 30 years, trailing only Michael Cammalleri, who scored 7 in 2010.
Context and Significance
Montreal's victory carries deep symbolic meaning for a club that has been in a prolonged rebuild. Defenseman Mike Matheson noted after the game that the team was tired of talk about a "bright future" that kept being delayed. In his words, this success proves that the future has arrived.
The Canadiens became the youngest team to reach a conference final in 33 years. The club has now reached this stage four times since 2010—only Tampa Bay (7) and the Rangers (5) have more conference final appearances in that span.
A league-wide historic achievement was also recorded. Montreal earned its record 17th Game 7 win in Stanley Cup history, surpassing the Boston Bruins (16). Additionally, the Canadiens extended their own record for road wins in Game 7s—now 9 wins and 6 losses in 15 games.
The 2026 playoffs also made history: all first 12 series required at least one overtime game. This has only happened twice before, in 2013 and 2001.
The series against Buffalo was highly inconsistent in terms of home-ice advantage. Of the seven games, only two were won by the home team. The Sabres even took an unusual step before the decisive game—they stayed overnight in a hotel to simulate a road atmosphere, but it did not yield the desired result.
What's Next
Montreal will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. This will be the eighth playoff series between the two clubs and the first in exactly 20 years.
The Eastern Conference Final schedule has been set:
- Game 1: Thursday, May 21, 8:00 PM ET — Montreal at Carolina (Raleigh, PNC Arena)
- Game 2: Saturday, May 23, 7:00 PM ET — in Raleigh
- Game 3: Monday, May 25, 8:00 PM ET — in Montreal
- Game 4: Wednesday, May 27, 8:00 PM ET — in Montreal
- Game 5*: Friday, May 29 (if necessary)
- Game 6*: Sunday, May 31 (if necessary)
- Game 7*: Tuesday, June 2 (if necessary)
All games will be broadcast on TNT and truTV, and in Canada on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports.
Editorial Prediction
Carolina enters the conference final as the Metropolitan Division regular-season champion and will have home-ice advantage. However, Montreal has shown exceptional resilience on the road—both of its Game 7 wins in this postseason came away from home. The Canadiens have also not lost a game following a loss in these playoffs (6-0), trailing only the records of New Jersey (8-0 in 1988) and Tampa Bay (7-0 in multiple seasons). Key factors will be goaltending and power-play efficiency—if Dobeš maintains his current level of reliability and Montreal's young players continue to play without regard for the opponent's status, the series could stretch to six or seven games. Carolina remains the favorite due to its depth and experience, but counting out the Canadiens after two consecutive Game 7 wins would be unwise.
— Editorial Team
