The Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. ET at Bell Centre, just four days after Montreal beat Buffalo 4-3 in a shootout. The Sabres vs Canadiens Saturday preview carries extra weight because both Atlantic Division clubs are trying to find consistency early in the 2026-27 season, and the biggest question is whether Buffalo can finally solve Montreal’s shootout magic from their last meeting.
Buffalo enters at 4-3-1 after an overtime win in Toronto on Thursday, while Montreal sits 3-3-1 and gets extra rest, having not played since a shootout win over Detroit on Oct. 10 before beating the Sabres and then losing in Washington.
Sabres Vs Canadiens Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
- TV/Streaming: NHL Net, MSGB
- Season series: Montreal leads 1-0
How Have Both Teams Looked Lately?
Buffalo has split its last four games, with wins over Florida and Toronto sandwiched around losses to Dallas and Montreal. The Sabres have outscored opponents 24-29 this season. Tage Thompson leads Buffalo with four goals and eight points, and Owen Power paces the team with six assists.
Montreal has lost three of its last five, including a 5-4 defeat in Washington on Wednesday, but the Canadiens did beat Buffalo in a shootout on Oct. 13 and edged Detroit in another shootout three days earlier. Nick Suzuki leads Montreal with four goals and nine points, while rookie defenseman Lane Hutson has six assists. Montreal has scored 21 goals and allowed 27, and its average goals against of 3.86 is the worst mark between the two clubs.
What Is The Injury Situation For Each Team?
Buffalo is without captain Rasmus Dahlin, listed out with an upper-body injury and targeting an Oct. 21 return. Center Josh Norris is day-to-day with a concussion, and center Jiri Kulich is day-to-day with an undisclosed issue; both are projected to be game-time decisions. Goaltender Alex Lyon remains on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Montreal is dealing with a deeper absence list. Forward Florian Xhekaj is out with a lower-body injury and isn’t expected back until Oct. 31. Defenseman Mike Matheson is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Goaltender Sam Montembeault remains on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, with a target return of Oct. 20. Center Oliver Kapanen is on injured reserve with a lower-body issue, and forward Ivan Demidov, who put up six points in last spring’s playoff series against Buffalo, is also on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and not expected back until Oct. 31.
Who Are The Projected Starting Goaltenders?
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is projected to start for Buffalo after relieving Colten Ellis less than halfway through Monday’s win over Florida and making 13 saves to close it out. Jakub Dobes is projected to start for Montreal, with Montembeault still sidelined on injured reserve. Both designations remain projections, according to the official NHL data, and could change before puck drop.
By The Numbers
- Goals: Buffalo 24, Montreal 21
- Goals Against: Buffalo 29, Montreal 27
- Average Goals Against: Buffalo 3.63, Montreal 3.86
- Save Percentage: Buffalo .857, Montreal .865
- Shots Total: Buffalo 214, Montreal 200
- Shooting Percentage: Buffalo 11.2%, Montreal 10.5%
- Power Play Goals: Buffalo 3, Montreal 3
- Faceoff Percentage: Buffalo 47.3%, Montreal 51.7%
- Penalty Minutes: Buffalo 71, Montreal 86
What Is The Key Matchup?
Buffalo’s top line of Thompson, Peyton Krebs and Josh Doan controlled 78% of expected goals in Monday’s win over Florida, and Thompson has eight points to lead the Sabres. That trio will face a Montreal defense anchored by Hutson, whose six assists lead the Canadiens from the blue line. Montreal’s penalty kill will be tested if Buffalo’s power play keeps trending up after going 3-for-9 over its last two games following an 0-for-13 start to the season. Montreal’s own power play has struggled at 1-for-17 through its first five games, putting pressure on the Canadiens to find offense at five-on-five against a Buffalo club that has won three of its last five.
What To Watch
Saturday marks the second meeting this season between the clubs, who also faced each other in last spring’s second-round playoff series, according to NHL.com. Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff called Monday’s win over Florida the team’s best hockey through its first six games. With both teams sitting in the bottom half of the Atlantic Division standings early in the season, every point carries weight as the Sabres try to build on their overtime win in Toronto and Montreal looks to avoid a third straight home-ice slip against a divisional rival. The Sabres’ Dahlin injury situation remains worth tracking given his status as team captain.
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