Overview
- The Canadiens, hosting Game 6 on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, can clinch the series on ABC in the U.S. and on CBC/Sportsnet/TVA in Canada.
- Following Thursday’s 6-3 win in Buffalo, Montreal’s attack surged with six different goal scorers to take a 3-2 lead.
- Sabres coach Lindy Ruff had not named a starting goalie after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was pulled for allowing five goals in Game 5 and Alex Lyon finished the game.
- The winner will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final after Carolina advanced with a sweep.
- In the West, Colorado meets Vegas starting Wednesday, and the Golden Knights carry an NHL sanction that cost them a 2026 second-round pick for postgame media-access violations.