The Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres Game 7 in their NHL Playoffs series is set for puck drop at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, May 18, with the Canadiens favored to win and returning a 1.58x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they do so.
Facing elimination on the road, the Sabers' offense dominated in Game 6, leading to an 8-3 win. It now comes down to a winner-take-all game for the chance to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Below, we'll break down our Canadiens vs. Sabres prediction and picks for Monday’s NHL Game 7, including the puck line, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.
Make your Canadiens vs. Sabres picks on PrizePicks for Game 7.
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Canadiens vs. Sabres Prediction, Winner, Over/Under for Game 7 – Monday, May 18
At the start of Game 6, it looked like it was going to be closely contested. Buffalo struck first with D Rasmus Dahlin scoring a goal 32 seconds into the game. The Canadiens responded, scoring the next 3 goals, and the Sabres closed out the first period with a goal to cut the deficit to 1 by the end of the first 20 minutes.
Only one team showed up after the first intermission, as it was all Sabres for the rest of the game. Buffalo scored 6 unanswered goals, with RW Jack Quinn leading the team with 2 goals.
The question for both teams now becomes who will be between the pipes for this pivotal game.
The Sabres pulled G Alex Lyon early after allowing 3 goals in the first 4 shots he faced, with G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen saving all 18 shots he saw.
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has stuck with G Jakub Dobes in net throughout this series, only substituting G Jacob Fowler during the final 8:23 of Game 6. Could Dobes have a short leash in Game 7?
Canadiens vs. Sabres Winner Payout, Over/Under for Game 7 – Monday, May 18
The Canadiens enter Monday's Game 7 as road favorites against the Sabres, returning a 1.58x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
Here are the full payouts for the Canadiens vs. Sabres game on PrizePicks.
- Puck Line: Montreal Canadiens -1.5 (2.94x payout)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (1.88x payout on Over)
- Game Winner Payout: Canadiens 2.27x | Sabres 1.58x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres Timeline
Here is the full Canadiens vs. Sabres timeline, including the playoff series game-by-game and recent matchup history.
All-Time: Sabres, 158-151-31-5
Regular Season: Tied, 2-2
Series: Tied, 3-3
Canadiens vs. Sabres Eastern Conference Semifinals Timeline, Schedule for 2026 NHL Playoffs
- Game 1: Sabres 4, Canadiens 2
- Game 2: Canadiens 5, Sabres 1
- Game 3: Canadiens 6, Sabres 2
- Game 4: Sabres 3, Canadiens 2
- Game 5: Canadiens 6, Sabres 3
- Game 6: Sabres 8, Canadiens 3
- Game 7: Monday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. ET in Buffalo
Canadiens vs. Sabres Prediction on Winner for NHL Playoffs, Game 7 – 5/18/26
Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Canadiens vs. Sabres prediction on the Game 7 winner for Monday, May 18.
Lock in your Canadiens vs. Sabres prediction on PrizePicks before the puck drops.
- The Canadiens are 3-2 in Buffalo this year, dating back to the regular season.
- According to MoneyPuck, Montreal’s 3.15 goals above expected and 11.11% shooting percentage on shots on goal are the best among the remaining playoff teams.
- The Sabres haven't won back-to-back games in this series and have only done so once in the NHL Playoffs.
- According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sabres have struggled against high-danger shots in this series, posting a .817 save percentage compared to the Canadiens' .904.
- Both Sabres goalies have been underwhelming in the postseason. Alex Lyon’s 0.2 goals saved above expected ranks 13th among the 24 goalies to appear in at least 1 playoff game; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 16th at -0.5.
- The Habs’ 54.8% face-off win rate ranks third in the playoffs.
Canadiens vs. Sabres Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 5/18/26
Here are the top Canadiens vs. Sabres picks to target in Game 7 for Monday, May 18. Today’s NHL picks for PrizePicks include D Lane Hutson and RW Alex Tuch.
Canadiens D Lane Hutson vs. Sabres: 24.25 Minutes
- Hutson has more than 24 minutes of time on ice in two of the last three games and has averaged 24.52 minutes over the last 10 games, which is second on the team.
- According to MoneyPuck, the Canadiens have kept Hutson busy with 351 shifts, 10th-most in the playoffs.
- The Habs may like Hutson in their lineup because he's been contributing. His 11 assists are the second-most in the postseason, and his 13 points are the second-most among defensemen.
- With Hutson on the second-shift defensive pairing and the first power-play unit, he could see a higher-than-usual time on ice in this do-or-die game.
Add Lane Hutson to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
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Sabres RW Alex Tuch vs. Canadiens: 2.5 Shots on Goal
- Tuch has recorded more than 2 shots on goal in four of the six games in this series.
- His 41 shots on goal are the second-most in the NHL Playoffs.
- The Sabres' standout right wing is giving himself great shooting opportunities. According to NHL Edge Stats, Tuch’s 66 high-danger shots during the regular season are in the 89th percentile, and his 14 in the playoffs are in the 98th percentile.
- The Canadiens have allowed 363 shots in the postseason, the most among all teams, and their 27.8 shots allowed per game during the regular season was 18th.
Add Alex Tuch to your PrizePicks Lineup now.
Make Canadiens vs. Sabres Game 7 Picks on PrizePicks
There's no margin for error, as the Canadiens and Sabres square off for a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Both teams have long droughts, with Montreal not reaching the ECF since 2014 and Buffalo since 2007.
Don’t wait until puck drop — make your Canadiens vs. Sabres picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
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