Schedule / Matchup Preview

Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview vs Sabres · TUE · OCT 13 · 5:30 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
TUE · OCT 13 · 5:30 PM CT
Centre Bell
MSG-B
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens
1–0–1
VS
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres
1–1–0
Upcoming
TUE · OCT 13 · 5:30 PM CT
MSG-B
Montreal Canadiens
Home · Canadiens
1–0–1
3 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
The Canadiens have been on the wrong end of a 5-point night from Tage Thompson. But Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has not had an answer for Cole Caufield: 5 goals on 26 shots.
Centre Bell
Buffalo Sabres
Away · Sabres
1–1–0
2 PTS
Canadiens
GOALIES
Sabres
Jakub Dobes
Jakub Dobes
Expected
.862 SV% · 4.04 GAA · 1W
.882 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Expected
.784 SV% · 4.03 GAA · 1W
.847 SV% L5 · Cooling
Canadiens
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Sabres
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L1
Josh Norris · Tage Thompson · Josh Doan
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L2
Zach Benson · Noah Ostlund · Jack Quinn
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L3
Peyton Krebs · Ryan McLeod · Konsta Helenius
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
L4
Jiri Kulich · Sam Carrick · Beck Malenstyn
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D1
Rasmus Dahlin · Mattias Samuelsson
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D2
Owen Power · Olen Zellweger
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
D3
Louis Crevier · Zach Metsa
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP1
Jack Quinn · Zach Benson · Josh Doan · Tage Thompson · Rasmus Dahlin
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PP2
Konsta Helenius · Ryan McLeod · Noah Ostlund · Owen Power · Josh Norris
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK1
Ryan McLeod · Beck Malenstyn · Owen Power · Mattias Samuelsson
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
PK2
Josh Norris · Zach Benson · Rasmus Dahlin · Louis Crevier
CanadiensProjected lines
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
SabresProjected lines
L1
Josh Norris · Tage Thompson · Josh Doan
L2
Zach Benson · Noah Ostlund · Jack Quinn
L3
Peyton Krebs · Ryan McLeod · Konsta Helenius
L4
Jiri Kulich · Sam Carrick · Beck Malenstyn
D1
Rasmus Dahlin · Mattias Samuelsson
D2
Owen Power · Olen Zellweger
D3
Louis Crevier · Zach Metsa
PP1
Jack Quinn · Zach Benson · Josh Doan · Tage Thompson · Rasmus Dahlin
PP2
Konsta Helenius · Ryan McLeod · Noah Ostlund · Owen Power · Josh Norris
PK1
Ryan McLeod · Beck Malenstyn · Owen Power · Mattias Samuelsson
PK2
Josh Norris · Zach Benson · Rasmus Dahlin · Louis Crevier
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:06 AM CT
Canadiens
INJURY REPORT
Sabres
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Alex Lyon
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 6
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Conor Timmins
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 17
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Topias Leinonen
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 10
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Jack Rathbone
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 24
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
Jason Zucker
IR · Abdomen (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
CanadiensInjury report
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
SabresInjury report
Alex Lyon
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 6
Conor Timmins
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 17
Topias Leinonen
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 10
Jack Rathbone
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 24
Jason Zucker
IR · Abdomen (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:06 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Canadiens lost their last game in overtime and are 1-0-1 in their first 2 games. The Sabres won their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

The Canadiens have been on the wrong end of a 5-point night from Tage Thompson. But Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has not had an answer for Cole Caufield: 5 goals on 26 shots.

Chris Kreider is 3 goals shy of 700 career goals.

The numbers behind it
Player
Tage Thompson once put up 5 points in a game against Montreal. See the games →
(Buffalo)
5 pts, one game vs MTL
Player
Rasmus Dahlin once put up 5 points in a game against Montreal. See the games →
(Buffalo)
5 pts, one game vs MTL
Matchup
Cole Caufield has 5 goals on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (26 shots).
(Montreal)
5 goals on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Matchup
Nick Suzuki has 4 goals on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (21 shots).
(Montreal)
4 goals on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Milestone
Chris Kreider is 3 goals shy of 700 career goals.
697 career goals