Game 2 of the second‑round series starts Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Buffalo, where the Sabres hope to stretch their 4‑2 opening‑night victory. Scorers Josh Doan, Ryan McLeod, Jordan Greenway and Bowen Byram each struck in Game 1, and the clubs split their four regular‑season meetings before the playoff clash at KeyBank Center.

Bookmakers list Buffalo as a -136 favorite on the money line, with the over/under set at 5.5 goals. SportsLine’s Projection Model, which has simulated the contest 10,000 times, predicts a 5.9‑goal total, making the Over a 51 % value play. The model also highlights a Sabres –1.5 puck‑line at +180 as a strong option.

Both teams have generated high‑scoring affairs all season; this will be the ninth consecutive meeting where the combined tally reached six or more. Montreal cleared the total in 53 % of its games, rising to 54 % on the road. With the Sabres holding home‑ice advantage and the model favoring the Over, Friday’s game promises another goal‑fest.