Sabres add to Buffalo's painful playoff misery with overtime Game 7 loss to Canadiens

The Sabres, who have an NHL-record 30 playoff appearances without a Stanley Cup title, largely controlled Game 7 after the first 20 minutes, generating 16 high-danger scoring chances — compared to the Canadiens' eight — in the second and third periods and overtime, per Natural Stat Trick. Buffalo led in expected goals (5.1) but squandered the superior performance, allowing Montreal to escape with the win.

It was the second demoralizing end to a season for Buffalo sports this year after the Bills lost in overtime to the Denver Broncos in the NFL's AFC divisional round. 

As rough as that is, it's relatively tame compared to what the city's endured in previous years, from the Bills' 2021 AFC divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, losing the "Music City Miracle" to the Tennessee Titans (1999) and four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990-93.

The Sabres are part of that history, too, with Brett Hull's triple-overtime "no goal" in Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Final that clinched the title for the Dallas Stars still among the most controversial calls in NHL history. Monday's loss wasn't nearly as painful, but it's still another tough playoff loss for championship-starved Buffalo.

Perhaps one of these years, it will have a title to celebrate. When — "If" may be the better word — it happens, results like Monday's will be that moment even sweeter.