Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres Game 7 Prediction, NHL Odds

The Sabres are -112 home favourites with a total of 5.5 goals.

Canadiens vs. Sabres Game 7 Betting Odds

Entering Game 7 on the updated odds to win the East, Carolina is the -270 favourite with Buffalo at +475 and Montreal +550. Monday will mark the 203^rd Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoff history. Home teams are 118-84 in them but 0-1 in 2026. That loss was by Tampa Bay at home in Round 1 against the Habs. That team that scores first is 152-50 in Game 7s and 1-0 this year. A total of 52 per cent of Game 7s (105 of 202) have been decided by one goal, while 50 have gone to overtime.

Buffalo is 1-6 all-time in Game 7s with that win in the 1997 first round vs. Ottawa. That .143 winning per centage in Game 7s is the fourth-worst in league history. The Sabres seek to overcome a 3-2 series deficit for only the second time, with the other in 1997 vs. the Senators.

Bet on Canadiens vs. Sabres Game 7

Montreal tries to become the sixth team to win multiple Game 7s on the road in a single postseason and first since the 2014 Los Angeles Kings (the Habs also did it in 1971 and 2010). The Canadiens are 16-9 all-time in Game 7s and 8-6 away. The overall wins are tied for the most in league history and the road wins are the most.

Montreal Canadiens

The Habs looked like they were on their way to the East Finals on Saturday in Game 6 at home leading the Sabres 3-1 midway through the first period on a Jake Evans shorthanded goal, but then it all quickly went wrong in the 8-3 defeat in allowing seven straight goals. We saw some history in that one as it was the first time since Maple Leafs-Blues in Game 5 of the 1990 first round that both starting goaltenders were pulled from a playoff game. Rookie Jakub Dobes had been so good this postseason but was pulled in the third after giving up six goals on 33 shots. Rookie Jacob Fowler finished the game. Dobes surely will be the starter for Game 7 and is 5-0 after a loss in the playoffs. He can join Ken Dryden (3-0), Carey Price (3-1), Jaroslav Halak (2-0) and Patrick Roy (2-2) as the only Canadiens goaltenders with multiple career Game 7 wins. The Habs got very little from their star trio of forwards Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki and defenceman Lane Hutson. They combined for just two points, both assists. Montreal has required overtime in six Game 7s (3-3), including twice on the road (0-2). Monday marks the 130th unique Game 7 matchup in Stanley Cup playoff history and second of these playoffs after Canadiens-Lightning.

Buffalo Sabres

Who starts in net for Buffalo in Game 7? We would guess Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, although he has been benched in both home starts in the 2026 postseason. Alex Lyon was back in the starter’s net for Game 6 but pulled after allowing three goals on four shots midway through the first. Luukkonen saved all 18 shots he faced. Blueliner and former No. 1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin was a monster in Game 6 with a goal and four assists. The points and assists tied a team record. Star centre Tage Thompson had been fairly quiet in the series but had a goal and three helpers. Buffalo was 4-for-6 on the power play and has nine goals with the man advantage in the series. The Sabres have had all but two of their Game 7s decided by one goal and are 1-4 in those. They have gone to OT three times in Game 7s and are 1-2. It’s Buffalo’s first Game 7 since a 2011 conference quarterfinal loss at Philadelphia.