NHL Playoff Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres with Line Combinations 05/18/2026 | Inside The Rink
HomeNHLNHL Playoff Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres with Line Combinations 05/18/2026
Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP
Montreal Canadiens (7-4-2) at Buffalo Sabres (7-4-1)
Venue: Bell Centre
Date: Monday, May 18
Time: 7:30 pm EST
How To Watch: ESPN
Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster
Montreal Canadiens News & Notes:
The Canadiens took a 3-1 lead in Saturday’s game but ultimately lost the game and now they’ll play another game seven. They’re averaging 3.1 goals per game while allowing 2.8 goals per game. In the series, they’re averaging four goals per game.
Buffalo Sabres News & Notes
The Sabres forced a game seven after they scored seven unanswered goal in Saturday’s 8-3 win. They’re averaging 3.4 goals per game while allowing three goals per game in the playoffs. They’re averaging 3.5 goals per game in the series.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lines
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Newhook-Evans-Demidov
Texier-Danault-Anderson
Bolduc-Veleno-Dach
Matheson-Carrier
Hutson-Dobson
Xhekaj-Guhle
Dobes
Fowler
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Buffalo Sabres Projected Lines:
Benson-Norris-Thompson
Doan-McLeod-Tuch
Zucker-Helenius-Quinn
Greenway-Krebs-Malenstyn
Samuelsson-Dahlin
Byram-Power
Metsa-Timmins
Luukkonen
Lyon
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Players To Watch:
Montreal Canadiens
Jake Evans had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s game; he has a goal in back-to-back games. Evans has a point in five straight games, he has seven points in the series on two goals and five assists. In the playoffs he has eight points on two goals and six assists.
Buffalo Sabres
Tage Thompson had a goal and three assists in Saturday’s win. He has eight points in the series on three goals and five assists. He has 15 points in the playoffs on five goals and ten assists.
Injury Report:
Montreal Canadiens
F Patrik Laine – IR
Buffalo Sabres
F Justin Danforth – IR
F Jiri Kulich – IR
G Colten Ellis – DTD
C Noah Ostlund – Out
Next Game:
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