Result: Montréal Canadiens 4-3 Buffalo Sabres (SO)
Montréal outshot Buffalo 38-17 and still needed a shootout. Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson turned an early deficit into a 3-1 lead, then Buffalo scored twice in 61 seconds early in the third through Josh Norris and Olen Zellweger, a defenceman with both of his goals on the night. Alexandre Texier won it in the shootout. Jacob Fowler faced 17 shots and stopped 14; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves on 38 at the other end.
Our pick: Montréal. Correct, and we called 4-3. The over was right too, with seven goals. What we got wrong was the shape. We said Montréal’s crease was the worry and Fowler the answer after his shutout; he then conceded three on 17 shots while his team had 38. The goaltender who decided this game was Buffalo’s.
The preview as published before the game follows.
Buffalo finished fourth last season and Montréal sixth. Between them they have conceded 34 goals in eight games this season.
Canadiens vs Sabres is two clubs who were supposed to be good and have started by leaking goals.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Game | Buffalo Sabres at Montréal Canadiens |
| Date | Tuesday 13 October 2026 |
| Puck drop | 6:30pm ET · 5:30pm CT · 4:30pm MT · 3:30pm PT |
| Venue | Centre Bell, Montréal |
| 2025-26 head to head | Two wins each |
| Records | Buffalo 2-2-0, Montréal 1-2-1 |
| 2025-26 finish | Buffalo 4th (109 pts), Montréal 6th (106 pts) |
| Rest | Buffalo on the second of a back-to-back, Montréal with 2 days off |
How to watch
| Region | Broadcast |
|---|---|
| Canada | TSN2, RDS |
| United States | MSG-B |
TSN2 and RDS have it in Canada. Regional coverage can differ from the national listing, and our how to watch the NHL in Canada page has the full picture.
Canadiens vs Sabres odds
Moneyline prices from 6 Canadian sportsbooks, captured on 2026-10-13. American odds throughout.
| Sportsbook | Buffalo | Montréal |
|---|---|---|
| Bet99 | +130 | −150 |
| PlayAlberta | +132 | −156 |
| PlayNow | +135 | −161 |
| Rivalry | +135 | −160 |
| TonyBet | +129 | −159 |
| theScore Bet | +135 | −155 |
These are stored prices rather than live ones, and a hockey line moves the moment a starting goaltender is confirmed, so check before you bet. Availability varies by province: PlayAlberta and PlayNow are provincial platforms rather than open-market books, and the private sportsbooks operate where they hold a licence. Our NHL betting sites page sets out which operates where, and who is expected in net is on our projected NHL starting goalies page.
Montréal’s crease is unsettled
Montréal has started Jakub Dobes, and then Jacob Fowler. Dobes took the first three at .856 and Fowler, who started 17 games last season, got Thursday’s 5-2 defeat to Nashville. Sam Montembeault, who would have been the answer, is out after being hurt in practice.
Nick Suzuki has seven points and Chris Kreider four. Lane Hutson has four assists from the blue line.
Ivan Demidov is the absence that bites. Sixty-two points as a 20-year-old last season and he is on injured reserve. Kaiden Guhle is close to returning but not back.
Nineteen goals conceded in four games is the joint-most in the East, level with Philadelphia, which has played a game more.
Buffalo’s goaltending is worse
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 1-2-0 at a .782 save percentage. That is one of the lowest of any goaltender with three starts this season. Colten Ellis won the one game he was given at .900.
Owen Power leads the scoring with five points from defence, which says something about the forwards. Tage Thompson has four and Noah Ostlund three.
Jason Zucker and Conor Timmins are on injured reserve, and Alex Lyon, the other goaltending option, is on there with them.
Buffalo won the Atlantic last season on 109 points. Fifteen goals conceded in four games is not the way to defend it.
Two wins each last season
| Date | Result | Venue | Total goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-20 | Montréal 4-2 Buffalo | Montréal | 6 |
| 2026-01-15 | Montréal 3-5 Buffalo | Buffalo | 8 |
| 2026-01-22 | Montréal 2-4 Buffalo | Montréal | 6 |
| 2026-01-31 | Montréal 4-2 Buffalo | Buffalo | 6 |
Four meetings, two each, and every one had at least six goals. They met again in the second round in May, when Montréal won the series in seven games with an overtime winner in Buffalo.
Team news
| Player | Club | Status | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Zucker | Buffalo | Injured Reserve, Undisclosed | No timetable |
| Alex Lyon | Buffalo | Injured Reserve, Upper Body | No timetable |
| Conor Timmins | Buffalo | Injured Reserve, Undisclosed | No timetable |
| Sam Montembeault | Montréal | Out, Undisclosed | No timetable |
| Ivan Demidov | Montréal | Injured Reserve, Lower Body | No timetable |
| Kaiden Guhle | Montréal | Injured Reserve, Groin | No timetable |
| Oliver Kapanen | Montréal | Out, Lower Body | No timetable |
Montembeault and Demidov are the two that shape this game. League-wide availability is on our NHL injury report.
Players to watch
Nick Suzuki. Seven points in four games. Montréal goes as he does.
Owen Power. Five points from the blue line and Buffalo’s leading scorer.
Lane Hutson. Seventy-eight points from defence last season at 21.
Tage Thompson. Four points, and the one Buffalo forward who can win a game alone.
Score prediction
Buffalo Sabres 3-4 Montréal Canadiens. Montreal is at home with the better forward group. Both goaltending situations are poor enough that this should be high-scoring whoever wins.
Canadiens vs Sabres prediction
Montréal has the better top six. Suzuki, Kreider and Hutson are a harder three to handle than anything Buffalo puts out with Zucker unavailable.
Buffalo’s problem is in goal. A .782 save percentage over three starts loses games on its own, and Luukkonen has no settled alternative behind him.
Montréal’s own crease is unsettled too, which is why this lands high rather than comfortable. Two starters in four games, with Montembeault hurt, is not a platform.
Our lean: Montréal, and the over if the total sits at 6 or lower. All four meetings last season had six goals or more, and Montréal is conceding nearly five a game and Buffalo nearly four. Where each sits is on our NHL power rankings.
Puck drop is 6:30pm ET on Tuesday 13 October 2026 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Unsettled. Jakub Dobes started the first three games at .856 and Jacob Fowler, who started 17 games last season, got the fourth on Thursday. Sam Montembeault is out.
No. He is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Two wins each across four regular-season meetings, then Montreal won their second-round series in seven games in May.
Buffalo is 2-2-0 and Montreal 1-2-1. Between them they have conceded 34 goals in eight games.
19+ (18+ in AB, MB and QC). Odds are approximate at the time of writing and changeconstantly. Availability varies by province. Please play responsibly. ConnexOntario: 1-866-531-2600 for Ontario residents; see your province’s helpline for resources elsewhere.