Newhook’s Overtime Heroics Send Canadiens Past Sabres, Into Eastern Conference Final.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Alex Newhook delivered again when the moment mattered most.

The Montreal Canadiens forward scored 11:22 into overtime Monday night, lifting Montreal to a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 and punching the Canadiens’ ticket to the Eastern Conference final. Newhook’s winner capped another clutch postseason performance for the 25-year-old, who also netted the deciding goal in Montreal’s first-round Game 7 win over Tampa Bay. His latest strike came after Buffalo’s Tage Thompson and captain Rasmus Dahlin lost control of the puck at the Montreal blue line, sparking a quick Canadiens counterattack. Defenseman Alexandre Carrier carried the rush up the right side before threading a cross-ice pass to Newhook entering the zone. Skating into the left circle, Newhook snapped a shot past goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and inside the far post as teammate Jake Evans crossed in front of the net. The goal was Newhook’s seventh of the playoffs, continuing a remarkable postseason run after missing three months during the regular season with a broken ankle. Montreal opened the game with a strong first period, building a 2-0 lead on goals from Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc. Buffalo responded with resilience, however, cutting the deficit on Jordan Greenway’s goal before Dahlin tied the game early in the third period to force overtime. Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes rebounded impressively after a difficult Game 6 performance, stopping 37 shots to help Montreal survive Buffalo’s pressure. The rookie improved to 6-0 in the postseason following a loss. The victory adds another chapter to Montreal’s Game 7 success story. The Canadiens improved to 17-9 all-time in seventh games, setting a new NHL record for most Game 7 wins.

Montreal now advances to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final beginning Thursday in Raleigh. Carolina enters the series rested after sweeping its first two playoff opponents and not playing since May 9.

For Buffalo, the defeat marked a painful ending to a breakthrough season. The Sabres captured their first Atlantic Division title and snapped an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, energized by a remarkable turnaround after sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings in early December. Despite the loss, Buffalo’s young core showed promise throughout the postseason, including a first-round series win over Boston — the franchise’s first playoff series victory since 2007. The Canadiens, meanwhile, continue a resurgence that began after several rebuilding seasons. Montreal reached the Stanley Cup Final during the pandemic-altered 2021 playoffs, but much of that roster has since changed. Newhook, acquired from Colorado and already a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, has become one of the key pieces in the franchise’s new era. Now, thanks to another Game 7 moment from Newhook, the Canadiens are two series wins away from another championship run.