Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (6-5) will face the Buffalo Sabres (6-4) in Game 5 of their second-round series on Thursday, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
Even though the Habs managed to outshoot the Sabres in Game 4, they failed to take advantage of the many powerplay chances they were handed, scoring just once in seven opportunities.
Meanwhile, the Sabres capitalized on two of their four powerplays, earning a 3-2 win in the process.
It was far from an ideal game, but there were several positives worth discussing.
The first is that the top line enjoyed a legitimately fantastic outing, despite their lack of goals at 5v5. They controlled more shots than in any other playoff game, to the tune of a 70%+ control of shots, high-danger shots, and expected goals.
With that in mind, it’s starting to be a little late in the season to discuss a healthy process. The first line is playing better, but the Habs need goals from their best players, not just solid underlying numbers.
Simply put, the Canadiens won’t be able to advance to the Conference Final without regular 5v5 contributions from Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield.
But that’s putting the cart ahead of the horse, for the time being.
If the Canadiens are to return to the Bell Centre with 3-2 lead in the series, they’ll need a complete team effort in Game 5, including solid games from their various defensive pairings. The Mike Matheson and Alexandre Carrier pairing has struggled in the playoffs, though it must be said they’re facing a very high quality of competition.
It’s important to note that the winners of Game 5 in a series that’s tied 2-2 will go on to win the playoff series 80% of the time, making this the most important game of the year of the Canadiens.
Potential Lineup Changes
Head coach Martin St-Louis does not like to announce roster modifications publicly, which means we must wait until the pre-game warm up to confirm any change to the Canadiens lineup.
If the Habs do want to inject a little more energy and chaos into the mix, they have to look no further than forward Brendan Gallagher. Yes, he’s the oldest player in the organization, but he’s also well rested, produced great numbers in the three games he played, and few other players around the league are willing to put their bodies on the line in service to their teams, at least not at the same level as Gallagher.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Zachary Bolduc – Kirby Dach – Joe Veleno
Mike Matheson – Alexandre Carrier
Lane Hutson – Noah Dobson
Arber Xhekaj – Kaiden Guhle
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lineup
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Konsta Helenius – Jack Quinn
Zach Benson – Josh Norris – Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway – Ryan McLeod – Beck Malenstyn
Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Luke Schenn – Connor Timmins
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Sabres Game 5
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, May 14, 2026, will be aired on CBC, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
Additional NHL Playoff Analysis
- Canadiens vs. Sabres Series Preview
- Canadiens vs. Sabres Complete Series Schedule
- Most Valuable Habs From The First Round
- Depth Players Leading The Charge For Canadiens
- Habs Could Use Brendan Gallagher Versus the Sabres
