Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Preview: Canadiens vs Sabres
The Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, 24-9-8 on the road) take on the Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, 26-10-5 at home) at KeyBank Center in Game 7 of this second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series.
Canadiens Look a Great Bet to Land Victory
The Canadiens should prove too strong for the Sabres. Our best prediction is to back the visitors on the Moneyline where a juicy -105 can be landed.
8-3 Victory for Sabres in Pair’s Last Battle
When Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres clashed on Saturday night, the Sabres managed a 8-3 victory at Bell Centre.
The Sabres had 36 shots on goal. Rasmus Dahlin bagged 5 points, including 1 goal and 4 assists. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen produced a great performance and had 18 saves (1.000). The Habs managed 22 shots on goal, with Ivan Demidov, Jake Evans and Arber Xhekaj scoring one goal each.
Head-to-Head Statistics
Both teams have won five games when it comes to the previous 10 H2H meetings.
Starting Goalies
Jakub Dobes (Expected)
Season
W-L-OTL:
GAA:
SV%:
SO:
24/25
29-10-4
2.8
.901
0
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Expected)
Season
W-L-OTL:
GAA:
SV%:
SO:
24/25
22-9-3
2.5
.909
1
23/24
27-22-4
2.57
.910
5
Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Prediction & Picks
Get ready for Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres with all the betting angles covered, from an expert match prediction and correct score advice to player props and a custom bet builder.
Game Prediction
The best wager could be taking Montreal Canadiens to simply secure a victory in this NHL encounter. Our pick can be taken at odds of -105 on the Moneyline which yields a potentially nice return.
Team news and current form always play a key role in shaping our expert hockey picks. We also dig into the latest stats and trends to help deliver the most accurate NHL predictions possible.
Key Canadiens vs Sabres stats:
Canadiens have won 4 of their last 5 games on the road.Canadiens have won 14 of their last 20 games on the road.Canadiens have won 2 consecutive games on the road.Sabres have lost 4 of their last 5 games at home.Sabres have lost their last 2 games at home.Canadiens Moneyline Probability
According to the top NHL sportsbooks, there’s a 51.3% likelihood of our pick landing a return. However, our analysts research has found that the actual probability is closer to 60%. It is therefore regarded as a value wager.
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Our Game Prediction
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Disclosure: This preview contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. T&Cs apply. We only recommend licensed and regulated operators. See our Editorial Policy. Pick odds and lines reflect the price available at the time of publication (May 17, 23:56). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.
Published 23:56, 17 May 2026
Player Prop Picks
Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres) has fired Over 2.5 shots on goal in 5 straight home games. Out of all the prop bets available, we’re going to take the -164 when it comes to this Shots on Goal wager.
Latest Rasmus Dahlin Player Prop Odds
Goals
Assists
Shots on Goal
Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.
Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres Odds
The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.
Books Expecting Tight Affair
You can choose Buffalo Sabres at -122 or alternatively Montreal Canadiens who have betting odds of +102. The sportsbook traders give the road team a 50% probability of success.
The puck line is calculated to be 1.5, while total goals comes in at 5.5. Having a bet on Totals is one of the most popular hockey wagers. If you want to wager Over 5.5, there are odds of +104.
There are hundreds of game lines and team props when it comes to wagering on the National Hockey League and we recommend visiting the top betting sites to find the wager that matches your view on the game.
Tage Thompson Favorite to Find the Net First
Player Goals
Tage Thompson (Sabres)
Cole Caufield (Canadiens)
Juraj Slafkovsky (Canadiens)
Nick Suzuki (Canadiens)
Player Assists
Lane Hutson (Canadiens)
Nick Suzuki (Canadiens)
Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres)
Tage Thompson (Sabres)
Player Shots
Tage Thompson (Sabres)
Juraj Slafkovsky (Canadiens)
Nick Suzuki (Canadiens)
Alex Tuch (Sabres)
Micro Betting
There are lots of exciting NHL micro betting lines that are created and they are available in-game. Among them are next goalscorer, next team to find the net and whether a goal will be scored within the next 10 minutes.
Live market odds and lines updated regularly. All odds subject to change. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.
Team Stats
Latest regular season and playoff games stats.
Montreal Canadiens Stats
Buffalo Sabres Stats
5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 games
7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 games on the road
6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games
5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 home games
+1.5 Betting Line: Have covered the +1.5 puck line in 8 of the last 10 games
+1.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the +1.5 puck line in 8 of the last 10 games on the road
-1.5 Betting Line: Have covered the -1.5 puck line in 5 of the last 10 games
-1.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the -1.5 puck line in 3 of the last 10 home games
Game Totals: An average of 5.90 goals in the previous 10 games
Game Totals on the Road: An average of 5.90 goals in the previous 10 games on the road
Over 5.5: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 games
Over 5.5 on the Road: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games on the road
Team Totals: Have scored an average of 3.10 goals and allowed 2.80 goals in the last 10 games
Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 3.40 pts and allowed 2.50 goals in the last 10 games on the road
Game Totals: An average of 6.40 goals in the previous 10 games
Game Totals at Home: An average of 6.20 goals in the previous 10 home games
Over 5.5: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games
Over 5.5 at Home: Covered in 8 of the previous 10 home games
Team Totals: Have scored an average of 3.50 goals and allowed 2.90 goals in the last 10 games
Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 3.10 goals and allowed 3.10 goals in the last 10 home games
Last 10 Games
Goals Powerplay: 0.8
Shots: 25.2
Goals Shorthanded: 0.1
Penalties: 6.1
Empty Net Goals: 0.2
Penalty Minutes: 19
Blocks: 15.5
Faceoff Wins : 30.9
Hits: 32.4
Giveaways: 12
Takeaways: 4.5
Last 10 Games on the Road
Goals Powerplay: 0.9
Shots: 24.1
Goals Shorthanded: 0
Penalties: 4.4
Empty Net Goals: 0.1
Penalty Minutes: 10.9
Blocks: 13
Faceoff Wins : 30.7
Hits: 29.8
Giveaways: 13
Takeaways: 5.3
Last 10 Games
Goals Powerplay: 1
Shots: 28.4
Goals Shorthanded: 0
Penalties: 5.4
Empty Net Goals: 0.3
Penalty Minutes: 15.8
Blocks: 14.3
Faceoff Wins : 25.3
Hits: 26.9
Giveaways: 14.4
Takeaways: 4.3
Last 10 Home Games
Goals Powerplay: 0.5
Shots: 29.1
Goals Shorthanded: 0.1
Penalties: 5.3
Empty Net Goals: 0.4
Penalty Minutes: 13.6
Blocks: 16.3
Faceoff Wins : 25.9
Hits: 28.8
Giveaways: 14.3
Takeaways: 3.5
Starting Lineups
Both teams’ confirmed lineups will be published ahead of face-off. There is also the chance to look at the lineups from the previous 10 games.
Expert Analysis by Kevin Thompson
NHL Analyst
About the Analyst
Our ice hockey previews are produced by a specialised team of analysts, former odds compilers and sports journalists. Picks are research-driven and reviewed for accuracy and editorial consistency under the oversight of our hockey panel and Editor-in-Chief.
NHL Predictions Methodology
Our NHL analysis combines the latest team news, injury reports and line changes with recent form and market movement. We factor in situational analysis like home ice advantage and schedule spots. Metrics such as Corsi, Fenwick, Expected Goals (xG) and PDO are used to evaluate puck possession, shot quality, goaltending performance and special teams efficiency beyond the traditional box score.
Full Methodology & Data Sources
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Transparency & Safety
This preview was last updated on May 18, 04:13 to reflect the latest team news, injury reports, confirmed lines and pairings, starting goaltenders, lineup changes, schedule context, key performance metrics and odds movement.
All analysis is produced by professional analysts and reviewed by our Ice Hockey Editorial Betting Panel for accuracy and consistency.
Historical performance for our game predictions is tracked and updated regularly for transparency.
Important: Betting should be treated as entertainment and involves risk. Past results are not indicative of future performance. Only wager what you can afford to lose.
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