Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (4-4) will face the Buffalo Sabres (5-2) in Game 2 of their second-round series on Friday, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
The Habs dropped Game 1, though the 4-2 scoreline was a little flattering to the host Sabres, a team that scored four goals on its first nine shots. That’s not to say they did not deserve to win the game, but there were a few key factors to suggest Montreal may end up having a better fate in Game 2.
The first line, in particular, had an encouraging game, which is important, as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky have had a very hard time making an impact at 5v5. And as we all know, a team without a functional first line is barely a team at all, especially in the playoffs.
With that in mind, we shouldn’t discount Suzuki’s impact, as he is currently leading the Canadiens in scoring with seven points in eight games.
Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin on Habs captain Nick Suzuki:
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) May 8, 2026
“I think he’s got the complete package. He can score, he’s a hell of a disher, and he can play defence. He’s just a legit 1st line centre in this league, so he really deserves that (Selke) nomination for sure.” pic.twitter.com/59feGVCZzC
Montreal also received important and regular offensive contributions from their depth players, a recurring theme in April and May. This was certainly not the case throughout the majority of the regular season, but fans certainly won’t look a gift horse in the mouth at this point in the schedule.
Players such as Kirby Dach, Alex Texier, and Josh Anderson have done a wonderful job supplementing the goal output, including Dach’s fantastic individual effort in Game 1.
WOW! What a goal by Kirby Dach! #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/S70CqWC9Fn
— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) May 7, 2026
Potential Lineup Changes
The Canadiens did not hold a practice on Friday, nor did they make their players available to the media.
Seeing as it’s the playoffs, any lineup changes will have to be confirmed once the teams take to the ice for the pre-game warm-up.
Head coach Martin St-Louis seemed reasonably satisfied with his team’s performance in Game 1, which suggests there will not be any wholesale changes heading into Game 2.
However, don’t be surprised if he modifies his third pairing and fourth line, with Jayden Struble potentially taking over Arber Xhekaj’s spot, while Joe Veleno makes way for Brendan 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
Kaiden Guhle – Lane Hutson
Arber Xhekaj* – Noah Dobson
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lineup
Peyton Krebs – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Jack Quinn
Zach Benson – Josh Norris – Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway – Tyson Kozak – Beck Malenstyn
Rasmus Dahlin – Mattias Samuelsson
Bowen Byram – Owen Power
Logan Stanley – Connor Timmins
Alex Lyon
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Sabres
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Buffalo Sabres, Friday, May 8, 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
