| Moneyline Pick | Montreal Canadiens |
| Player Prop | Cole Caufield over 2.5 shots |
| Same Game Parlay | Over 5.5 goals + Nick Suzuki over 0.5 assists + Tage Thompson over 0.5 assists |
| Check Live Odds | |
Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Main Match Info
- Date and Time: Monday, May 18, 2026, 7:30 PM EDT
- Arena: KeyBank Center
- Location: Buffalo, New York, United States
- Last match: Montreal Canadiens 3-8 Buffalo Sabres (May 16, 2026, 2026 NHL Playoffs)
Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Moneyline Prediction
- Moneyline Pick: Montreal Canadiens
It all comes down to this decisive Game 7 at KeyBank Center, where the Sabres and the Canadiens will determine which team will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. On paper, the momentum is on Buffalo’s side, as they’re coming off an 8-3 win and will also benefit from home-ice advantage.
However, the Canadiens are the more experienced squad, and that could prove decisive in a high-pressure elimination clash. They’ve already shown that they can win at KeyBank Center, taking two of the three road meetings in this series, including a 6-2 victory in Game 5.
Le match 7 nous attend
Game 7 awaits
#GoHabsGo | @AirCanada pic.twitter.com/pWTrP41w2n— x – Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 17, 2026
The Canadiens also hold an edge in the goaltending matchup. Jakub Dobes has posted a 2.59 GAA and .906 save percentage through his last 13 outings.
The Sabres are likely to start Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after Alex Lyon was pulled in the first period of the last encounter. Luukkonen is now 2-1 with seven goals allowed on 72 shots over three appearances in the second round.
Look for the Canadiens to rely on their experience to finish what they couldn’t in Game 6, where they wasted a 3-1 first-period lead.
Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Player Prop
- Prop Bet: Cole Caufield over 2.5 shots
The Canadiens will need Cole Caufield to be at his best in what could very well be the final game of the season for Montreal.
The star winger was credited with an assist in the previous outing, and while he hasn’t matched his regular-season scoring pace in the playoffs, he’s slowly getting into the groove.
RIGHT ON CUE‼️
COLE CAUFIELD SCORES AND GIVES THE HABS THE LEAD 🚨 https://t.co/CpPS0iIq8N pic.twitter.com/MKZ5T4fFhK
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 11, 2026
Caufield is currently riding a four-game point streak, during which he’s tallied three goals and two assists. He’s been active on offence with at least two shots in every appearance and attempted at least three in all but one of his last four contests.
With the Canadiens likely to rely heavily on their top offensive players in this elimination matchup, he could be heavily involved once again, thus bolstering the chances of clearing this line.
Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Same Game Parlay
- SGP: Over 5.5 goals + Nick Suzuki over 0.5 assists + Tage Thompson over 0.5 assists
History has shown that NHL Game 7s are often tight, with teams playing not to lose rather than to win. However, if this series has taught us anything, it’s that neither Buffalo nor Montreal are built for low-scoring hockey.
Three of the last four games, and five of the six overall in the series, have produced at least six goals. There’s little reason to expect that trend to suddenly change here.
The three meetings at KeyBank Center have averaged 7.0 goals per game. In what should be a high-scoring matchup, expect Nick Suzuki to play a major role for the Canadiens.
NICK SUZUKI OPENS THE SCORING IN #GAME7!! 🚨 #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/7zZLEqRmux— NHL (@NHL) May 3, 2026
The star playmaker went pointless and only took two shots in Game 6, but he’s tallied six points (three goals, three assists) in the current series against Buffalo.
The Sabres, meanwhile, should find a way to score at least a couple of goals, and if they do, Tage Thompson will likely be heavily involved. He scored an empty-net goal on six shots and added three assists in Game 6.
He’s already recorded a team-high 15 points in the current playoff run.
Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Team News
Buffalo Sabres Team News
There are no changes to the Sabres’ injury report ahead of what could be their final game of the 2025-26 season. Justin Danforth (kneecap), Jiri Kulich (ear), and Noah Ostlund (lower body) are all sidelined, and only Ostlund has a realistic shot at returning to the lineup before the end of the campaign.
Given that the Sabres scored eight goals in their latest win when they had their backs against the wall, don’t expect the coaching staff to make any notable changes to the lineup.
Montreal Canadiens Team News
The Canadiens have been close to full strength throughout the series, and that shouldn’t change here. The lone notable absence is Patrik Laine, who’s dealing with an abdominal injury and should be sidelined once again.
The Habs aren’t likely to tweak things too much offensively, with their first line of Caufield, Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovský carrying the weight. Despite the blowout loss in Game 6, they aren’t expected to make sizable changes to their lines here.
Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens: Where to Watch (Canada)
- Watch on CBC, SN, TVAS
- Stream on Sportsnet+, TVAS+
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