Sabres Rally Past Canadiens to Force Game 7

The Sabres stared at the edge of elimination, changed goalies, and then blew open Game 6 in an 8-3 win over the Canadiens to force a decisive Game 7.

Buffalo found its turning point early. Starter Alex Lyon stopped just one of the four shots he faced before the Sabres turned to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who settled the game and stopped 17 shots the rest of the way. That switch gave Buffalo a foothold, and the team seized it with a surge that transformed a dangerous night into a rout.

A shaky start threatened to end Buffalo's season, but the goaltending change gave the Sabres a reset — and they charged through it.

The score line tells the story of what followed: Buffalo did not just recover, it overwhelmed Montreal. An 8-3 result in a playoff elimination game signals more than a simple response. It points to a team that found urgency, confidence, and finishing touch at exactly the moment it needed all three. Reports indicate the Sabres roared back with sustained pressure after the crease change steadied the bench.

For Montreal, the missed chance will sting. The Canadiens entered the night with a path to close the series, but Buffalo ripped control away before the game could settle into a familiar script. Playoff series often swing on one intervention, one save, or one bench decision, and this one now carries that feel. The Sabres grabbed momentum when they had almost none left.

Everything now narrows to one game. Game 7 will test whether Buffalo's explosive response can carry over or whether Montreal can reset after a collapse that changed the shape of the series. That matters beyond one round: decisive games expose poise, depth, and coaching choices, and this series now comes down to exactly those things.