After breaking a 15-year playoff drought, the Buffalo Sabres seek to continue their Cinderella run when they face the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Buffalo earned its first series victory since 2007 by eliminating the Bruins, while Montreal outlasted Tampa Bay in a dramatic seven-game first-round matchup. Both teams enter with even betting odds at -110.

The Sabres and Canadiens split their four regular-season meetings, with Buffalo finishing just three points ahead in the Atlantic Division. Alex Lyon proved pivotal in the first round, while rookie Jakub Dobes makes his postseason debut for Montreal. Offensively, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch led Buffalo with seven points each, while Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson paced Montreal with six points apiece.

Both teams carry long playoff histories into this matchup. The Canadiens lead the all-time postseason series 4-3, but Buffalo's most recent victory came in a 1998 sweep. Despite comparable regular-season performances and similar first-round results, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and defenseman Lane Hutson (78 points) give Montreal the edge in Erskine's prediction. The series begins Wednesday at KeyBank Center.