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Buffalo Sabres vs Montréal Canadiens

Regular season · Saturday, October 17, 2026 · Centre Bell

Buffalo SabresBuffaloSabresAway

vs

Montréal CanadiensMontréalCanadiensHome

SNE · NHLN · TVAS · MSG-B

Game preview

The Buffalo Sabres visit the Montréal Canadiens at Centre Bell on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET. The game is on SNE, NHLN, TVAS and MSG-B.

This is the second of 4 meetings this season. Sabres 0, Canadiens 1 so far; the last game finished BUF 3, MTL 4.

Rest and travel

Sabres

Game 3 of a road trip: Montréal and Toronto, now Montréal.

  1. 72026-10-07: no game
  2. 82026-10-08: vs DAL
  3. 92026-10-09: no game
  4. 102026-10-10: vs UTA
  5. 112026-10-11: no game
  6. 122026-10-12: vs FLA
  7. 132026-10-13: at MTL, second of a back-to-backB2B
  8. 142026-10-14: no game
  9. 152026-10-15: at TOR
  10. 162026-10-16: no game
  11. 172026-10-17: at MTL
rest since last game
1 day
rest since last game
since last game
~313 mi
since last game
on this road trip
~946 mi
on this road trip
body clock vs home
Home time
body clock vs home

Canadiens

Back home after a game in Washington.

  1. 72026-10-07: no game
  2. 82026-10-08: vs NSH
  3. 92026-10-09: no game
  4. 102026-10-10: vs DET
  5. 112026-10-11: no game
  6. 122026-10-12: no game
  7. 132026-10-13: vs BUF
  8. 142026-10-14: at WSH, second of a back-to-backB2B
  9. 152026-10-15: no game
  10. 162026-10-16: no game
  11. 172026-10-17: vs BUF
rest since last game
2 days
rest since last game
since last game
~489 mi
since last game
on this road trip
~978 mi
on this road trip
body clock vs home
Home time
body clock vs home
Home game Road game This gameB2B = second night of a back-to-back. Distances are approximate.

Lines from last game

Buffalo SabresSabresTue, Oct 13 at MTL
  1. L1Benson#6Ostlund#86Quinn#22
    10:23 together at 5v5
  2. L2McLeod#71Kulich#20Helenius#94
    7:12 together at 5v5
  3. L3Thompson#72Krebs#19Doan#91
    6:57 together at 5v5
  4. L4NewMalenstyn#29Norris#9Danforth#15
    6:26 together at 5v5
  1. D1NewSamuelsson#23Zellweger#8
    14:05 together at 5v5
  2. D2Power#25Metsa#73
    11:55 together at 5v5
  3. D3NewGilbert#44Crevier#46
    6:02 together at 5v5

Power play

  1. 1Benson LThompson COstlund CQuinn RPower D3:35

Penalty kill

  1. 1Malenstyn LDanforth RSamuelsson DCrevier D0:55
  2. 2Malenstyn LSamuelsson DPower D0:49
Montréal CanadiensCanadiensTue, Oct 13 vs BUF
  1. L1Slafkovský#20Suzuki#14Caufield#13
    13:14 together at 5v5
  2. L2Texier#85Danault#24Bolduc#76
    10:29 together at 5v5
  3. L3Kreider#22Newhook#15Anderson#17
    7:44 together at 5v5
  4. L4NewEvans#71Dach#77Beck#62
    5:17 together at 5v5
  1. D1NewCarrier#45Guhle#21
    16:53 together at 5v5
  2. D2Dobson#53Hutson#48
    12:32 together at 5v5
  3. D3NewXhekaj#72Engstrom#42
    7:19 together at 5v5

Power play

  1. 1Kreider LSlafkovský LSuzuki CCaufield RHutson D2:22
  2. 2Texier LDach CNewhook CBolduc RDobson D0:47

Penalty kill

  1. 1Danault CEvans CCarrier DGuhle D1:14
  2. 2Evans CNewhook CDobson DXhekaj D0:58

Behind the bench

Each grey tick is one NHL team.

BUFMTL

Settled lines

Share of 5v5 time from the regular top four lines · 2026–27

BUF 64% (12th most shuffled)MTL 69% (16th most shuffled)
← Shuffles linesKeeps lines together →

Goalie pull, down one

Median time left in the 3rd when the goalie comes out, delayed penalties excluded · 2025–26 · under 10 pulls is a small sample

BUF 1:54 left (13th earliest · 9 pulls)MTL 1:48 left (16th latest · 16 pulls)
← Pulls latePulls early →

Average shift

All skaters, all strengths · 2025–26

BUF 46.8s (7th shortest)MTL 51.0s (4th longest)
← Short shiftsLong shifts →

Caught on long shifts

Share of 5v5 goals against with a skater 60s+ into his shift · 2025–26

BUF 28% (14th least often)MTL 38% (3rd most often)
← Rarely caughtOften caught →

Season series