Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) is pushed out of the crease by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley (64) during the second period in Game 1 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Canadiens look to even second-round series with Sabres before shifting to Montreal

May 8, 2026 | 1:00 AM

BUFFALO — The Montreal Canadiens look to earn a split of the first two games of their second-round series with the Buffalo Sabres when the Atlantic Division rivals clash tonight at the KeyBank Center.

The Canadiens trail a series for the first time in these NHL playoffs after dropping Wednesday’s opener 4-2 in Buffalo.

Montreal won the opening game of their first-round series with Tampa, and the teams alternated wins and losses the rest of the way resulting in a tight seven-game win for the Habs.

Buffalo, which is in the post-season for the first time since 2011, offered Montreal a different look on Wednesday, winning with puck-moving guile rather than brute strength.