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Goalie change fuels rally as Sabres force Game 7

ESPN · May 17, 2026, 4:38 AM · Also reported by 1 other source

Key takeaways

  • The winner Monday night in Buffalo will face Carolina for the conference title and a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.
  • The Sabres came back after trailing 3-1 midway through the first period.
  • Arber Xhekaj, Ivan Demidov and Jake Evans scored for Montreal.

Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.

MONTREAL -- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 17 saves after starter Alex Lyon stopped only one of the four shots he faced, and the Buffalo Sabres roared back to beat the Montreal Canadiens 8-3 on Saturday night and force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The winner Monday night in Buffalo will face Carolina for the conference title and a chance to play for the Stanley Cup. The Hurricanes swept both of their series.

The Sabres came back after trailing 3-1 midway through the first period. Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and four assists, Jack Quinn scored twice and added an assist and Tage Thompson had three assists and an empty-net goal. Zach Benson and Jack Quinn each had a goal and an assist and Konsta Helenius and Zach Metsa also scored.

Article preview — originally published by ESPN. Full story at the source.
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