The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres head back to KeyBank Center on Thursday for a pivotal Game 5 with the Eastern Conference second-round series tied 2-2 after Buffalo responded with a 3-2 win in Game 4. Zach Benson scored the game-winning power-play goal early in the third period on his 21st birthday, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 28 shots in a bounce-back performance after reclaiming the starting job for Buffalo.
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How to Watch Canadiens vs Sabres
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When: Thursday, May 14, 2026
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Time: 7:00 PM ET
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TV Channel: TNT / truTV
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Live Stream: DIRECTV (try for free)
Buffalo’s top offensive players are beginning to take over the series offensively. Tage Thompson recorded a goal and an assist in Game 4, while Alex Tuch, Josh Doan, and Bowen Byram continue to generate pressure in transition and on the power play. The Sabres have now scored at least three goals in all four games of the series and own one of the NHL’s best home records this season, entering Thursday 26-10-5 at home overall.
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Montreal, meanwhile, is trying to regain the momentum it built during a dominant 6-2 Game 3 win. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and rookie Ivan Demidov have all produced key moments during the postseason, and the Canadiens have shown they can overwhelm Buffalo when their forecheck gets rolling. However, Montreal’s goaltending workload is becoming a storyline, with Jakub Dobes making his 12th consecutive start dating back to the regular season.
Special teams could once again decide Game 5. Buffalo’s power play broke through in Game 1 and delivered another massive goal in Game 4, while Montreal’s penalty issues have repeatedly given the Sabres extra chances in critical moments. With the series now reduced to a best-of-three and the home crowd back behind Buffalo, Thursday’s matchup feels like a potential turning point in one of the most evenly played series of the NHL playoffs so far.
This is a great NHL matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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