Alex Newhook scores twice as
Canadiens beat Sabres 5-1 to tie 2nd-round playoff series at 1 apiece
[May 09, 2026]
By JOHN WAWROW
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook had two goals, again providing
Montreal with some much-needed secondary scoring, and the Canadiens
beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-1 on Friday night to even their
second-round playoff series at one game apiece.
Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki, with an
empty-netter, also scored for the Canadiens. Rookie goalie Jakub
Dobes made 27 saves, and Montreal extended its trend of alternating
wins and losses after doing so in a seven-game first-round series
win over Tampa Bay.
Montreal advanced to the second round on Newhook's game-winner 11:07
into the third period of a 2-1 series-clinching win on Sunday.
Meantime, the Canadiens' top offensive threats continue to struggle.
Cole Caufield extended his point drought to five games, while Juraj
Slafkovsky has one assist in his past eight outings.
“I think as a group we knew we needed a big effort tonight, a
bounce-back, a bounce-forward game,” said Newhook, who gave the team
a pregame boost with an energetic reading of the starting lineup.
“When you get the lineup read you just try to supply some energy
there early and just try and carry that into the game.”
Zach Benson scored for Buffalo, but Alex Lyon allowed four goals on
27 shots. He previously allowed seven goals in six-plus appearances
since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was was pulled after two
periods in a 4-2 loss to Boston in Game 2 of their first-round
series.
The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Sunday night.
It’ll be the Canadiens' first trip home after being on the road
since traveling to Tampa Bay last weekend. The team stayed in
Florida for two days before flying directly to Buffalo on Tuesday.
The Sabres dropped to 2-3 at home this postseason, but they won all
three games — including the Game 6 series clincher — at Boston.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first period of Game 1, Montreal
flipped the script.
Peyton Krebs’ turnover in Buffalo’s zone led to Newhook scoring at
1:36 by sneaking a shot under Lyon’s blocker arm. Matheson scored
2:51 later by floating in a shot from the left point that beat Lyon
over his right shoulder.
“Awful game. Not acceptable,” Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin said.
“They wanted to compete the first 10 (minutes), and then that’s what
kind of set the tone for the whole game. It’s hard to come back,
especially in the playoffs, when an opponent is up two. So, can’t
happen.”
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Montreal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) puts the puck past
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) during the second period in
Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series
Friday, May 8, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Dobes said the difference between Games 1 and 2 was
the Canadiens' ability to adjust to a much faster opponent in
Buffalo after a grueling, tight-checking series against the
defensive-minded Lightning.
“You play Game 7, I feel like we didn’t have much
chance to prepare and kind of settle everything together and reset
our minds,” he said. “I feel like we adjusted today really well. And
yeah, I feel we catch a breath in the series. And I feel that we are
ready to play our hockey and compete against the team for the rest
of the series.”
Buffalo’s power play came up empty on five chances after going 2 for
3 in Game 1. The Sabres have converted just three of 32 power-play
opportunities this postseason.
Newhook’s second goal, scored 4:47 into the second period, came four
seconds after the Sabres' power play failed to register a shot with
Carrier off for hooking.
Carrier’s goal 3:54 into the third was emblematic of Buffalo's
evening. With the Sabres buzzing the Montreal net, Tage Thompson
kept the puck in at the right point only to lose his balance and
spin down to the ice. Carrier picked up the loose puck and scored to
put Montreal up 4-1.
Benson whiffed on a tip-in chance two minutes later. In the first
period, Buffalo’s Alex Tuch had the puck roll off his stick while
attempting a shot breaking up the right wing, and Jack Quinn shot
over the top of the net after being set up alone in the slot.
“Trying to chase the game, try and force plays that aren’t there,
and just wasn’t executing,” Thompson said. “I think everything I
touched turned into disaster tonight. So, tough one. Got to be
better. It’s as simple as just flush that one, move on.”
Thompson then gave a blunt response when asked if he was playing
with an injury by saying: “I don’t think that’s any of your
business.”
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