Buffalo Sabres To Host Montreal Canadiens In Round 2 Of Stanley Cup Playoffs

After a thrilling Game 7 between the Montreal Canadiens & Tampa Bay Lightning, we now know who the Sabres will play in the second round of the NFL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Canadiens, who took a quick lead in the first period, struggled to find a whole lot of offense against the Lightning with only 9 total shots on goal for the whole game, but the offense they did find was enough as they were able to put Tampa Bay away with a 2-1 victory in the deciding Game 7 in downtown Tampa's Benchmark International Arena.

Now, with that victory, the Habs need to get ready to deal with the entire Buffalo Sabrehood when the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs starts on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at the KeyBank Center in downtown Buffalo.

Sabres Get Ready To Face The Habs In Round 2

Since January of this year, the Sabres have been one of the hottest teams in professional hockey as the team has risen from the basement of the NHL to the Atlantic Division Champions, who were able to put Boston to bed in the first round of the playoffs.

With the Sabres leading the all-time series against the Canadiens, they hope to extend that on the way towards winning Buffalo's first Stanley Cup victory.

According to Stathead Hockey, the Sabres and Canadiens have faced each other a staggering 304 times since 1970, when Buffalo entered the NHL as a team. Over the lifetime of play between these two teams, the Sabres lead the Habs with 138 wins, 122 losses, and 44 OT/L.

Just like the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, teams in the second round play in a best-of-7 first-round matchup, which means the first team to get to four wins will move on, and the other team will go home to watch the rest of the NHL play on. Since the NHL uses a best-of-7, 2–2–1–1–1 game structure. The Sabres will host games 1 and 2, and games 5 and 7 if needed.

• Round 2, Game 1 – Wednesday, May 6 at 7 pm @ the KeyBank Center in Buffalo,
• Round 2, Game 2 – Friday, May 8 at 7 pm @ the KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
• Round 2, Game 3 – Sunday, May 10 at 7 pm @ the Bell Centre in Montreal,
• Round 2, Game 4 – Tuesday, May 12, at 7 pm @ the Bell Centre in Montreal,
• (If Necessary) Round 2, Game 5 – Thursday, May 14 @ the KeyBank Center in Buffalo,
• (If Necessary) Round 2, Game 6 – Saturday, May 16 @ the Bell Centre in Montreal,
• (If Necessary) Round 2, Game 7 – Monday, May 18 @ the KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

You can rest assured that the Sabrehood will pull out all the stops for the Canadiens come to town. Let's go, Buffalo!