logo
FlamesNation has no direct affiliation to the Calgary Flames, Calgary Sports and Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
What’s Going On In the Playoffs: Canadiens win their second Game 7 of the post-season
alt
Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
May 20, 2026, 19:30 EDTUpdated: May 20, 2026, 19:29 EDT
Comments
And then there were four.
With the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche already advancing to the 2026 Conference Finals, there were two other second round match-ups that needed a victory. In the Atlantic Division, the Vegas Golden Knights had a chance to knock off the Anaheim Ducks, while the Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens went the distance.
Let’s take a look at what went on in the playoffs this past week!

Golden Knights/Ducks

Entering this past week with a 3-2 series lead, the Golden Knights made short work of the Ducks in Game 5. Just 62 seconds into the game, Mitch Marner scored his seventh, one of the best goals of the season.
On a Ducks’ power play, Brett Howden scored eight and a half minutes into the first, the Shea Theodore scored a power play goal in the final three minutes of the first, giving the Knights a 3-0 lead after 20.
Mikael Granlund scored a power play with just over seven to play in the second period, but that turned out to be their lone goal of the game and final goal of the season. Three minutes into the third, Pavel Dorofeyev scored his eighth of the post-season, which was followed by his ninth of the playoffs about 10 minutes later.
In the end, the Golden Knights won Game 6 by a score of 5-1, earning a 4-2 series victory and a date with the Avalanche.

Sabres/Canadians

Here’s a fun little factoid. No team in National Hockey League history has played 28 playoff games. The closest were the Dallas Stars during the 2020 post-season, but the global pandemic played a large part in that. Aside from that odd year, the most games a team has played in a single playoff run is 26, with a handful of teams doing that.
There was only one series that went the distance in the opening round, as the Canadiens knocked off the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven. With the series tied at two heading into last Thursday’s game, there was still a chance they’d go seven games again.
Game 5 was in Buffalo, and it was once again a high-scoring game. The Sabres took the lead two minutes in, but Cole Caufield scored six and a half minutes into the first. That tie game last for 74 seconds, before Josh Doan restored the Sabres lead. But again, the Canadiens had an answer, as Alexandre Texier scored nine seconds after. Konsta Helenius’s goal for the Sabres midway through the first gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead after 20.
It was all the Canadiens from there. Eight minutes into the middle frame, Josh Anderson tied the game. With just under four to play, Jake Evans gave the Habs their first lead of the game, then Nick Suzuki scored a power play goal just over a minute later for a 5-3 lead. Three minutes into the third, Ivan Demidov scored his first goal of the post-season, giving the Canadiens a 6-3 victory.
Once again, the Canadiens had a chance to clinch the series on home ice. But once again, they failed to do it. Just 32 seconds into the game, Rasmus Dahlin opened the scoring for the Sabres. Like they had done all series, the Canadiens tied it shortly after, then scored two more goals midway through the first, giving them a 3-1 lead.
With six to play in the first, Jason Zucker cut the lead to one. Then a minute into the second, Zach Benson tied it. The game belonged to the Sabres from there, as Jack Quinn scored a power play goal, which was followed by Konsta Helenius’ second of the playoffs just two minutes later.
In the third, Quinn scored a power play goal midway through, then Tage Thompson iced the game with an empty netter. For good measure, Zach Metsa scored a power play goal with just over two to go, giving the Sabres an 8-3 victory and setting up a winner-take-all Game 7.
Returning to Western New York, Phillip Danault opened the scoring for the Canadiens just four and a half minutes into the game. Then with just over five to play in the first, Zach Bolduc scored a power play goal to put the Canadiens up 2-0 after 20.
The Sabres fought back, though, as Jordan Greenway scored with just under seven to play in the second. Dahlin scored again about six and a half minutes into the third, knotting the game up at two and setting up a Game 7 overtime.
As he had done all series, Alex Newhook scored a clutch goal midway through the opening overtime period, sending the Canadiens to their first Conference Final since 2021.
But the question is, when does the Conference Finals begin?

Setting up the Conference Finals

The Conference Finals begin on Wednesday, as the Avalanche host the Golden Knights at 6:00 p.m. MT. Game 2 is on Friday, at the same time and venue, before the series shifts to Sin City. Sunday’s game has a start time of 6:00 p.m. MT, but Tuesday’s Game 4 has a 7:00 p.m. MT start time.
As for the Canadiens and Hurricanes series, Game 1 begins on Thursday with a prime-time start time (6:00 p.m. MT). That game will be in Raleigh, as will Game 2, which has a start time of 5:00 p.m. MT on Saturday. Games 3 and 4 shift to La Belle Province, with Game 3 starting at 6:00 p.m. MT on Monday and Game 4 starting at the same time on Wednesday.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
Sponsored by bet365:
Editorials

Breaking News