Canadiens News & Rumours: Second Round Bound, Dobes & More

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis and goalie Jakub Dobes react to beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images)

Canadiens News & Rumours: Second Round Bound, Dobes & More

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Spencer Lazary | Last updated May 5, 2026 12:00 PM ET

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The Montreal Canadiens are moving on to the second round of the playoffs after a wild seven-game series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a 106-point regular season, the Canadiens proved they can handle the pressure, and now the path to the Cup goes through a familiar Atlantic Division rival.

Here are the latest news and rumours as the Canadiens prepare for the next step in their postseason journey.

Second Round Matchup with the Sabres

After grinding out a Game 7 win against the Lightning on Sunday, the Canadiens don’t have much time to celebrate. They are officially set to face the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Buffalo finished just ahead of Montreal in the standings, so they will start this series on the road as the lower seed.

Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday night at KeyBank Center. The Sabres just beat the Boston Bruins in six games and have been one of the highest-scoring teams in the league all year, so the Montreal defence is going to have its hands full. This is the first time these two teams have met in the playoffs since 1991, and the energy in both cities is already starting to build.

Dobes was Elite in Round 1

While the skaters will get a lot of the credit, the real reason Montreal is still playing is Jakub Dobes. The rookie was the first star of Game 7 after making 28 saves in a 2-1 win, and he has pretty clearly taken over as the starter for this run. He finished the first round with a 4-3 record along with a 2.03 GAA and a .923 save percentage.

Dobes was a wall when it mattered most, especially during that stretch in Game 7 where the Canadiens went nearly 27 minutes without a shot on goal. He kept things from getting out of hand and gave them a chance to find the winner late. He is only the fifth goalie in franchise history to win a Game 7, joining names like Patrick Roy and Carey Price. If he can stay this locked in against a high-powered Buffalo offence, they have a real shot at getting to the Final Four.

What’s Next for Montreal?

As mentioned, the Canadiens take on the Sabres in the second round, which starts on May 6th. They will start on the road, but with how close Buffalo is to Canada, there is a good chance some road games will feel like home games.

Below are the first four games of the series:

Game 1—Wednesday, May 6 @ Buffalo Sabres @ 7:00 pm ET
Game 2—Friday, May 8 @ Buffalo Sabres @ 7:00 pm ET
Game 3 —Sunday, May 10 vs Buffalo Sabres: 7:00 pm ET
Game 4—Tuesday, May 12 vs Buffalo Sabres: TBD

The fourth game of the series doesn’t have a time set for it yet. However, it will as the first two games are played. The Hockey News has a 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket, which is always up-to-date with all the dates, times, and results from each game.

As the 2025-26 postseason moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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