The Buffalo Sabres (27-17-5) travel to Montreal to take on the Canadiens (28-15-7) in an Atlantic Division clash between two playoff hopefuls. Buffalo is riding a wave of momentum with six wins in their last 10, fueled by strong offensive play, while Montreal holds third in the Atlantic and boasts a solid home record. This is the third meeting of the season, with each team winning once on home ice. Expect a competitive, potentially high-scoring game given both teams’ recent trends and head-to-head history.
Venue Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec
Puckdrop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET (broadcast on ESPN+, MSG-B, TSN2, RDS)
Recent Team Forms
Both teams have been competitive lately, with Buffalo going 6-3-1 in their last 10 and Montreal at 6-3-1. Buffalo has outscored opponents 41-34 in that span, while Montreal has a +4 goal differential.
Buffalo Sabres Last 10 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Goals For | Goals Against |
| Jan 20 | @ NSH | W 5-3 | 5 | 3 |
| Jan 19 | @ CAR | L 1-2 | 1 | 2 |
| Jan 17 | vs MIN | L 4-5 | 4 | 5 |
| Jan 15 | vs MTL | W 5-3 | 5 | 3 |
| Jan 14 | vs PHI | W 5-2 | 5 | 2 |
| Jan 12 | vs FLA | L 3-4 | 3 | 4 |
| Jan 10 | vs ANA | W 5-3 | 5 | 3 |
| Jan 8 | @ NYR | W 5-2 | 5 | 2 |
| Jan 6 | vs VAN | W 5-3 | 5 | 3 |
| Jan 3 | @ CBJ | L 1-5 | 1 | 5 |
Record: 6-4-0
Avg. Goals: 3.9 for, 3.2 against
Power Play: 19.3% (17th in NHL); Penalty Kill: 82.5% (10th)
Montreal Canadiens Last 10 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Goals For | Goals Against |
| Jan 20 | vs MIN | W 4-3 | 4 | 3 |
| Jan 17 | @ OTT | W 6-5 OT | 6 | 5 |
| Jan 15 | @ BUF | L 3-5 | 3 | 5 |
| Jan 13 | @ WSH | L 2-3 OT | 2 | 3 |
| Jan 12 | vs VAN | W 6-3 | 6 | 3 |
| Jan 10 | vs DET | L 0-4 | 0 | 4 |
| Jan 8 | vs FLA | W 6-2 | 6 | 2 |
| Jan 7 | vs CGY | W 4-1 | 4 | 1 |
| Jan 4 | @ DAL | W 4-3 | 4 | 3 |
| Jan 3 | @ STL | L 0-2 | 0 | 2 |
Record: 6-3-1
Avg. Goals: 3.5 for, 3.1 against
Power Play: 23.5% (9th in NHL); Penalty Kill: 78.1% (20th)
Injury Report
Injuries could impact depth, particularly for Buffalo’s forward group. Montreal is dealing with key absences up front but has reinforcements returning.
Buffalo Sabres:
Michael Kesselring (D): Day-to-day (undisclosed/ankle) – Questionable
Josh Norris (C): Out (ribs) – IR, expected back Jan 31
Josh Dunne (C): Out (undisclosed/middle-body) – IR, expected back Feb 25
Conor Timmins (D): Out (leg) – IR, expected back Feb 28
Jiri Kulich (C): Out (blood clot) – No timeline
Justin Danforth (RW): Out (undisclosed) – No timeline
Montreal Canadiens:
Alexandre Texier (LW): Day-to-day (lower body) – Questionable
Patrik Laine (RW): Out (abdomen) – IR, expected back Feb 28
Alex Newhook (C): Out (ankle) – IR, expected back Mar 17
Kirby Dach (C): Day-to-day (foot) – Recently activated, monitor status
Projected Starting Goalies:
Buffalo: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (18-12-4, 2.78 GAA, .905 SV%)
Montreal: Sam Montembeault (15-8-3, 2.88 GAA, .903 SV%)
Key Player Matchups
This Atlantic rivalry features dynamic offensive talents and defensive anchors. Buffalo’s top scorers will test Montreal’s blue line, while the Canadiens’ snipers could exploit Buffalo’s injury-thinned depth.
Tage Thompson (BUF) vs. Cole Caufield (MTL): Thompson (26G, 25A) leads Buffalo in goals and is a volume shooter (3.3 SOG/GP). Caufield (25G) is Montreal’s top sniper with a quick release. This matchup could decide the game’s scoring bursts.
Alex Tuch (BUF) vs. Lane Hutson (MTL): Tuch (20G, 30A) brings speed and physicality for Buffalo. Hutson (D, 3G, 30A) is a rising star on Montreal’s blue line, leading in assists with strong puck-moving skills. Expect battles in transition.
Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) vs. Nick Suzuki (MTL): Dahlin (D, 10G, 35A) anchors Buffalo’s defense with elite offensive contributions. Suzuki (20G, 30A) is Montreal’s captain and playmaker, strong in faceoffs (47%). Neutral-zone control will be key.
JJ Peterka (BUF) vs. Juraj Slafkovsky (MTL): Peterka (18G) provides secondary scoring for Buffalo. Slafkovsky (15G, 25A) adds size and skill for Montreal. Watch for them on special teams.
Peyton Krebs (BUF) vs. Kirby Dach (MTL): Krebs (10G, 20A) is a gritty two-way forward. Dach (recent return from injury, 10G) brings versatility for Montreal. This could highlight checking lines.
Series History
All-time: Montreal leads 152-134-31-19 (336 games, including playoffs). Regular season: Montreal 134-118-31-19. Playoffs: Buffalo 18-17. Recent: Split 1-1 this season (MTL 4-2 home win Oct 20; BUF 5-3 home win Jan 15). Buffalo is 3-5-2 in the last 10 meetings. At Bell Centre: Montreal 78-55-19-9 vs. Buffalo, but Buffalo won 3 of the last 5 visits. Trends: Over has hit in 7 of the last 10 head-to-heads; average combined goals: 6.6.
Betting Trends
Puck Line: Sabres have covered in 6 of last 8 as underdogs. Total: Over has hit in 7 of Montreal’s last 10 home games; Under in 5 of Buffalo’s last 7 road games. Team Trends: Buffalo 6-3-1 last 10; 15-2 in last 17 overall. Montreal 6-3-1 last 10; 6-1 SU last 7 at home. Buffalo 3-5-2 last 10 vs. Montreal; Over in 7 of last 10 series games.
Game Odds
Buffalo Sabres 6.5
Montreal Canadiens – 120
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, January 21, 2026
