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Canadiens Down Sabres 6-3, Lead Series 3-2

5/16/2026

46 11 Full Breakdown

Summary

Canadiens Take Lead

Montreal Canadiens defeated Buffalo Sabres 6-3 in Game 5 on May 14, 2026 at KeyBank Center.
The victory gave Montreal a 3-2 series lead.
Ivan Demidov, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans and Nick Suzuki each scored and together produced three goals in ten minutes.
Jakub Dobes made 32 saves for Montreal.
Game 6 shifts to Montreal on Saturday, with Buffalo facing elimination.

Summary

**Thompson Leads**

Sabres sold out 5,000 Beer Sabres at the April 6 game versus Tampa Bay, bringing distribution to 10,000 containers.
Forward Tage Thompson has 11 points in ten playoff games, a pace not matched since Tim Connolly.
His two-point outings in the last two games tie him for multi-point performances entering the series and would make him the first Sabres player since Miroslav Satan in 2001 to do so with a third.

History

Historical Context

In 1979 the Montreal Canadiens captured their 22nd Stanley Cup, defeating the New York Rangers 4-1 to complete a fourth straight championship and a season of 52 wins. That triumph marked the last Original Six final until 2013 and ended as veteran stars retired and coach Scotty Bowman departed, a turning point echoed in the Canadiens’ 2026 playoff surge.

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Canadiens Take Lead

Montreal Canadiens defeated Buffalo Sabres 6-3 in Game 5 on May 14, 2026 at KeyBank Center.
The victory gave Montreal a 3-2 series lead.
Ivan Demidov, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans and Nick Suzuki each scored and together produced three goals in ten minutes.
Jakub Dobes made 32 saves for Montreal.
Game 6 shifts to Montreal on Saturday, with Buffalo facing elimination.

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