Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Betting Picks

Buffalo is hosting Montreal in Game 7 of this playoff series. That's not necessarily a good thing for the Sabres, though. The series has been dominated by the road team. The away team has won four of the six games in the series. The Canadiens reached this second round by defeating the Lightning on the road in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series. Montreal is 5-2 on the road during the playoffs. Buffalo is 2-4 at home in the playoffs. The Canadiens have outscored the Sabres by three goals in the series despite losing Game 6 at home, 8-3, two days ago. Montreal's Jakub Dobes has been the most consistent goalie between the two teams. Both of the Sabres' goalies, Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, have gotten pulled from games during the series. Lyon was yanked from Game 6 after allowing three goals on four shots, while Luukkonen couldn’t finish Game 5. Buffalo hasn't won a second-round playoff series since 2007. Take 1.5 goals with the Canadiens on the puckline.

Buffalo will likely return Alex Lyon to his starting role, as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was pulled after two periods, after five goals on 23 shots by the Canadiens in Game 5. That is good news for the Sabres as Lyon is 4-3 with a 2.25 goals-against average in this year's postseason. He has allowed more than two goals just twice in the playoffs, although Lyon was the loser in Games 2 and 3. He mopped up Game 5, allowing a goal on three shots. Buffalo has won six of seven road games, and the OVER is 3-1-1 in the series. Montreal is 50-41-3 OVER in 2025-26. The Sabres will need to get off to a fast start as they did on Wednesday when they scored three times on their first four shots, although Jakub Dobes still finished with 33 saves. Take the Sabres on the puckline and the OVER.

Combine the Canadiens +1.5 (-240) and the Liberty (-600) into a 2-team parlay at -153 odds.

Buffalo looks to even the series after losing its first road game of the postseason. Notwithstanding Sunday's loss, the Sabres are 25-7 in their past 32 road games, and Montreal is 1-6 in its past seven games following a win and it hasn't won at least three straight since April 4. Buffalo's Alex Lyon stopped 31 shots Sunday, including 13 in the first period alone, but suffered a second-straight loss. However, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff defended Lyon and he will be in net for Game 4 with a 4-3 mark and a 2.18 goals-against average so far in the playoffs. The Canadiens have lost five of seven after allowing two or fewer goals in their previous game. Take the Sabres. 

No surprise that the Canadiens beat the Sabres, 5-1, as road underdogs on Friday after losing Game 1. Montreal alternated wins and losses in its seven-game first-round series win against Tampa Bay. Buffalo was similar in its first round playoff victory against the Bruins winning three times in Boston. So the Sabres should not feel down heading to Montreal for this Game 3. Buffalo has won five consecutive away games. Montreal is 1-3 in its last four home games. The Canadiens haven't been home since May 1. Cole Caufield scored 51 goals for the Canadiens during the regular season, second-highest in the league. Caufield, though, has not scored a point during the past five games. Sabres goalie Alex Lyon had a rough game on Friday giving up four goals on 27 shots. Lyon, however, has been tough in net having previously allowed only seven goals in six-plus appearances since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen after two periods in Game 2 against Boston. Take the Sabres.