The Montreal Canadiens (6-5) will take on the Buffalo Sabers (6-4) in Game 5 of their second-round series on Thursday, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Even though the Habs managed to beat the Sabers in Game 4, they failed to take advantage of many power play opportunities, scoring just once in seven chances.
Meanwhile, the Sabers took advantage of two of their four power plays and won 3–2 in the process.
It was far from a perfect game, but there were many positives worth discussing.
The first is that despite the lack of goals at 5v5, the top line enjoyed a legitimately great outing. They controlled more shots than in any other playoff game, controlling over 70% of shots, high-danger shots and expected goals.
With that in mind, it's getting a little late in the season to discuss the healthy process. The first line is playing better, but the Habs need goals from their best players, not just solid underlying numbers.
Simply put, the Canadiens will not advance to the Conference Finals without the regular 5v5 contributions of Juraj Slafkowski, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
But for now, the cart is being put before the horse.
If the Canadiens are to return to the Bell Center with a 3–2 lead in the series, they will need a complete team effort in Game 5, including solid play from their various defensive pairings. The duo of Mike Matheson and Alexander Carrier have struggled in the playoffs, although it must be said that they have been facing very high quality competition.
It is important to note that the winner of Game 5 in a series tied 2–2 will win the playoff series 80% of the time, making this the most important game of the year for the Canadiens.
Possible Lineup Changes
Head coach Martin St-Louis doesn't like to announce roster revisions publicly, meaning we'll have to wait until pre-game warmups to confirm any changes to the Canadiens' lineup.
If the Habs want to bring a little more energy and chaos into the mix, they need to look no further than forward Brendan Gallagher. Yes, he's the oldest player in the organization, but he's also well rested, has played brilliantly in the three games he's played, and few other players around the league are willing to put their bodies on the line in the service of their teams, at least not at the same level as Gallagher.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Coffield - Nick Suzuki - Juraj Slafkowski
Alex Newhook - Jake Evans - Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier - Philippe Danault - Josh Anderson
Zachary Bolduc - Kirby Dach - Joe Veleno
Mike Matheson - Alexandre Carrier
Lane Hutson - Noah Dobson
Arbor Zekaj - Caden Guhle
jacob dobbs
jacob fowler
Buffalo Sabers Projected Lineup
Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Jason Zucker - Konsta Helenius - Jack Quinn
Zach Benson - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
Jordan Greenway - Ryan McLeod - Beck Malensteen
Rasmus Dahlin - Mattias Samuelsson
Bowen Byram - Owen Power
Luke Shannon - Connor Timmins
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
How to watch Hubs Vs. sabers game 5
Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, May 14, 2026, will be broadcast on CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. A quick recap with highlights will be available on SportsNote once the final whistle blows.
Additional NHL Playoff Analysis
