The Canadiens have lost back-to-back games by multiple goals as they welcome an even more struggling Buffalo team to Bell Centre on Tuesday night. The Sabres are -135 favourites on the NHL odds, with the total set at 6.0.

Sabres vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds

The NFL’s longest playoff drought already has been extended this season by the New York Jets at 14 consecutive years. The Buffalo Sabres have the longest active playoff drought in the NHL at 13 seasons, and it appears they will tie the Jets for the longest in the major North American sports leagues by this spring. The team actually has gone backward so far this season under first-year coach Lindy Ruff after at least finishing with winning records the previous two seasons under former coach Don Granato. Currently to make the playoffs, Buffalo is +800 with No at -1400.

Montreal has missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and that streak is expected to continue with the Habs at +4000 to play extra hockey and -20000 for No. After this game, the Canadiens have just one more at home before 2025, and that’s Saturday vs. Detroit.

Tuesday is the second of four meetings between the clubs, with Montreal winning 7-5 in Buffalo on Nov. 11 as each team scored at least once in every period. Nick Suzuki had two goals and two assists, Cole Caufield two goals, and Juraj Slafkovsky three assists. Both Cayden Primeau (allowed five goals on 14 shots) and Sam Montembeault (no goals on four shots) played in net. Buffalo also used two in Devon Levi (two goals on four shots) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (four goals on 18 shots).

The Canadiens have won six of the past 10 in the series, and the over-under is 4-5-1 in those.

Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo is on an NHL-high 10-game losing streak following a 5-3 loss in Toronto on Sunday, only the Sabres’ fourth multi-goal loss in the skid. They led 3-1 about midway through the second on goals from Jack Quinn (second of year), Alex Tuch (ninth) and Jack Quinn (second of the game) but trailed 4-3 by the 13:51 mark of the period.

Forward Zach Benson, just 19, was promoted to play on the Buffalo top line with Tuch and star Tage Thompson and had an assist to reach 25 career assists. Those are the fifth-most assists by a teenager in franchise history behind Phil Housley (86), Pierre Turgeon (82), Rasmus Dahlin (71) and Jack Eichel (32). Dahlin is still with Buffalo and remains one of the top two-way blueliners in the NHL with six goals and 13 assists but has been out since Dec. 3 due to injury and not expected Tuesday.

Devon Levi took the loss in net on Sunday and was then sent back down to the AHL on Monday. It should be No. 1 Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on Tuesday, and he’s 8-9-1 with a 2.80 GAA and .903 SV.

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal lost its second game in a row Saturday, 4-2 at Winnipeg. Lane Hutson opened the scoring at 7:48 of the first with his first goal of his career, but Montreal would trail 3-1 until Josh Anderson’s fifth goal of the year at 8:00 of the third. However, Vladislav Namestnikov clinched it with an empty-netter at 19:53.

The 20-year-old Hutson reached 20 career points and tied Tom Kurvers as the second-fastest rookie defenceman in Canadiens history to 20 points in a season behind only Hall of Famer Chris Chelios (24 games in 1984-85). Another blueliner, veteran David Savard, returned to action Saturday after missing the previous game due to an upper-body injury and had four blocked shots. Winger and former No. 1 overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky returned to the top line but again was without a goal, his eighth straight game without one. He has only two in 27 games this year.

Sam Montembeault was in net Saturday, but the No. 1 has played a lot lately so it might be Cayden Primeau’s turn Tuesday. He has struggled, though, at 2-3-1 with a 4.70 GAA and .836 SV.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Sabres vs. Canadiens?

• Regular Season

Sabres Team Leaders

BUF

Points	Tage Thompson 58
+ / -	Alex Tuch 12
Shots	Tage Thompson 181
Penalty Mins	Jason Zucker 55
Wins	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 21
GAA	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 3.19

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 69
+ / -	Nick Suzuki 11
Shots	Cole Caufield 194
Penalty Mins	Arber Xhekaj 97
Wins	Sam Montembeault 23
GAA	Jakub Dobes 2.71

• Regular Season

Canadiens Team Leaders

BUF

Points	Tage Thompson 58
+ / -	Alex Tuch 12
Shots	Tage Thompson 181
Penalty Mins	Jason Zucker 55
Wins	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 21
GAA	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 3.19

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 69
+ / -	Nick Suzuki 11
Shots	Cole Caufield 194
Penalty Mins	Arber Xhekaj 97
Wins	Sam Montembeault 23
GAA	Jakub Dobes 2.71

Injuries

Buffalo

JJ Peterka (RW)

Out Fri Lower Body - 11 / 03 / 25

Jiri Kulich (C)

Ques Wed Illness - 08 / 03 / 25

Jordan Greenway (LW)

Ques Mon Illness - 07 / 03 / 25

Jack Quinn (RW)

Ques Sat Illness - 07 / 03 / 25

Jason Zucker (LW)

Ques Mon Lower Body - 27 / 02 / 25

Jason Zucker (LW)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 24 / 02 / 25

Alex Tuch (RW)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 23 / 02 / 25

Dylan Cozens (C)

Ques Sat Lower Body - 05 / 02 / 25

Beck Malenstyn (LW)

Ques Sat Back - 05 / 02 / 25

Mattias Samuelsson (D)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 04 / 02 / 25

Montreal

Josh Anderson (RW)

Ques Thurs Upper Body - 26 / 02 / 25

Kirby Dach (C)

out for season Knee - 24 / 02 / 25

Michael Pezzetta (LW)

Ques Sat Lower Body - 18 / 02 / 25

Kaiden Guhle (D)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 29 / 01 / 25

Josh Anderson (RW)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 25 / 01 / 25

Brendan Gallagher (RW)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 25 / 01 / 25

Emil Heineman (LW)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 14 / 01 / 25

Alex Newhook (C)

Ques Tues Flu - 13 / 01 / 25

David Savard (D)

Ques Sat Upper Body - 03 / 01 / 25

David Savard (D)

Ques Sat Upper Body - 12 / 12 / 24

Injuries

Buffalo

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
JJ Peterka (RW)	Out Fri	Lower Body - 11 / 03 / 25	0-1	0-1	+ -
Peterka is nursing with a lower body injury, and he will not be active against the Golden Knights on Friday.
Jiri Kulich (C)	Ques Wed	Illness - 08 / 03 / 25	1-0	1-0	+ -
Kulich is ailing with an illness, and it is unclear if he will suit up against the Red Wings on Wednesday.
Jordan Greenway (LW)	Ques Mon	Illness - 07 / 03 / 25	1-0	1-0	+ -
Greenway exited the last contest due to an illness, and it is uncertain if he will play against the Oilers on Monday.
Jack Quinn (RW)	Ques Sat	Illness - 07 / 03 / 25	1-0	1-0	+ -
Quinn exited the last contest due to Illness, and it is unknown if he will suit up against the Panthers on Saturday.
Jason Zucker (LW)	Ques Mon	Lower Body - 27 / 02 / 25	2-4	4-2	+ -
Zucker is managing a lower body injury, and it is undetermined if he will be active against the Oilers on Monday.
Jason Zucker (LW)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 24 / 02 / 25	3-4	5-2	+ -
Zucker is hampered by an undisclosed injury, and it is up in the air if he will feature against the Ducks on Tuesday.
Alex Tuch (RW)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 23 / 02 / 25	3-4	5-2	+ -
Tuch is dealing with a undisclosed injury, and it is unknown if he will suit up against the Ducks on Tuesday.
Dylan Cozens (C)	Ques Sat	Lower Body - 05 / 02 / 25	3-6	6-3	+ -
Cozens is dealing with an lower body injury, and it is up in the air if he will get back on the ice against the Predators on Saturday.
Beck Malenstyn (LW)	Ques Sat	Back - 05 / 02 / 25	3-6	6-3	+ -
Malenstyn is managing with a back injury, and it is unclear if he will face the Rangers on Saturday.
Mattias Samuelsson (D)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 04 / 02 / 25	4-6	7-3	+ -
Samuelsson has wound up on the injured reserve list due to a lower body injury, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.

Montreal

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Josh Anderson (RW)	Ques Thurs	Upper Body - 26 / 02 / 25	3-2	2-3	+ -
Anderson is battling an upper body injury, and it is undetermined if he will be active against the Sharks on Thursday.
Kirby Dach (C)	out for season	Knee - 24 / 02 / 25	4-2	3-3	+ -
Dach has landed on the injured reserve list with a right knee injury, and he has been shut down for the remainder of the season.
Michael Pezzetta (LW)	Ques Sat	Lower Body - 18 / 02 / 25	4-4	4-4	+ -
Pezzetta is dealing with a lower body injury, and it is unclear if he will be available against the Flames on Saturday.
Kaiden Guhle (D)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 29 / 01 / 25	4-9	6-7	+ -
Guhle will undergo surgery to repair a lacerated quadricep muscle, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Josh Anderson (RW)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 25 / 01 / 25	5-10	7-7-1	+ -
Anderson is hampered by an undisclosed injury, and it is uncertain if he will take the court against the Devils on Saturday.
Brendan Gallagher (RW)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 25 / 01 / 25	5-10	7-7-1	+ -
Gallagher is managing an undisclosed injury, and it is up in the air if he will play against the Devils on Saturday.
Emil Heineman (LW)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 14 / 01 / 25	11-11	10-11-1	+ -
Heineman has landed on the injured reserve list due to an upper-body injury after being involved in a traffic accident, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Alex Newhook (C)	Ques Tues	Flu - 13 / 01 / 25	11-11	10-11-1	+ -
Newhook is dealing with a flu, and it is unclear if he will dress against the Hockey Club on Tuesday.
David Savard (D)	Ques Sat	Upper Body - 03 / 01 / 25	14-12	11-13-2	+ -
Savard is dealing with an upper body, and it is unclear if he will face the Stars on Saturday.
David Savard (D)	Ques Sat	Upper Body - 12 / 12 / 24	20-15	16-15-4	+ -
Savard is dealing with an upper body injury, and it is undetermined if he will dress against the Jets on Saturday.