The Montreal Canadiens (26-14-7, 59 points, 3rd in Atlantic Division) face off against the Buffalo Sabres (24-16-4, 52 points, 6th in Atlantic Division) in an Eastern Conference matchup. This game pits two Atlantic rivals against each other, with playoff implications on the line as both teams vie for positioning heading into the Olympic break. The Canadiens hold a slight edge in the standings, but the Sabres have been surging and will look to capitalize on home ice.
Venue Location
KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY (Capacity: 19,070).
Puckdrop is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST (Broadcast: ESPN+, MSG-B, TSN2, RDS).
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with significant absences, which could impact depth and special teams play.
Montreal Canadiens:
RW Patrik Laine (abdomen): Out until at least late January or February 28. He’s been practicing in a non-contact jersey but remains on IR.
C Jake Evans (lower body): Out 4-6 weeks, expected back late January.
C Alex Newhook (broken ankle): Out until approximately March (4 months from November 14, 2025 surgery).
D Kaiden Guhle (partially torn adductor): Out until late January or February (8-10 weeks from November 14 surgery). He recently returned but sat out a game for load management.
C Kirby Dach (foot): Out until at least January 17.
RW Josh Anderson (upper body): Recently returned from a day-to-day issue and is expected to play.
Buffalo Sabres:
C Josh Dunne (middle body): Out 4-6 weeks (no surgery needed), expected back after the Olympic break.
G Alex Lyon (lower body): On IR, out until at least January 17.
D Michael Kesselring (ankle/lower body): Available on emergency basis but not expected to play; has missed recent games.
C Jiri Kulich (ear/blood clot): On IR.
D Conor Timmins (broken leg): On IR.
C Justin Danforth (lower body): On IR.
C Tyson Kozak (upper body): Out.
Key
Player Matchups to Watch
This game features intriguing battles between offensive stars, defensive anchors, and goaltenders. Key matchups include:
C Nick Suzuki (MTL) vs. C Tage Thompson (BUF): Suzuki (leading MTL with ~50 points) is a playmaking center who drives the Canadiens’ offense, while Thompson (BUF’s top scorer with 22 goals, 42 points) is a sniper with size and speed. Expect this center matchup to dictate possession in the neutral zone.
RW Cole Caufield (MTL) vs. D Rasmus Dahlin (BUF): Caufield (21 goals, elite shot volume at ~2.8 shots/game) thrives on quick releases, but he’ll face Dahlin (4 goals, 26 assists, BUF’s top defenseman at 23:43 TOI/game), who excels at shutting down rush plays and quarterbacking the power play.
D Lane Hutson (MTL) vs. RW Jack Quinn (BUF): Hutson (8 goals, 37 assists, 23:45 TOI/game) is a dynamic offensive defenseman for MTL, but Quinn (recently hot with 2 goals in a game, 10 goals overall) could exploit gaps with his speed and finishing.
G Sam Montembeault (MTL) vs. G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF): Montembeault (~.900 SV% projected) has been solid for MTL, facing ~24 shots/game. Luukkonen (recent 31-save win) anchors BUF’s crease amid injuries, with a strong home record.
Recent Team Forms
Montreal Canadiens (6-3-1 in last 10 games, +10 goal differential):
The Canadiens have been inconsistent but potent offensively, averaging 3.9 goals/game in their last 10. They’ve won 4 of their last 6 but dropped a tight 2-3 OT game to Washington on January 13. Road form: 13-4-6.
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Jan 13 | vs. WSH | L 2-3 (OT) |
| Jan 12 | vs. VAN | W 6-3 |
| Jan 10 | vs. DET | L 0-4 |
| Jan 8 | vs. FLA | W 6-2 |
| Jan 7 | vs. CGY | W 4-1 |
| Jan 4 | @ DAL | W 4-3 (OT) |
| Jan 3 | @ STL | L 0-2 |
| Jan 1 | @ CAR | W 7-5 |
| Dec 30 | vs. FLA | W 3-2 |
| Dec 28 | @ TBL | L 4-5 (OT) |
Buffalo Sabres (8-2-0 in last 10 games, +19 goal differential):
The Sabres are on fire, winning 13 of their last 15 before a 3-4 loss to Florida on January 12. They’ve outscored opponents 45-26 in their last 10, with strong home play (14-6-2). This is their best stretch in franchise history.
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| Jan 12 | vs. FLA | L 3-4 |
| Jan 10 | vs. ANA | W 5-3 |
| Jan 8 | @ NYR | W 5-2 |
| Jan 6 | vs. VAN | W 5-3 |
| Jan 3 | @ CBJ | L 1-5 |
| Dec 30 | vs. CGY | W 4-1 |
| Dec 28 | @ EDM | W 3-2 (OT) |
| Dec 27 | vs. EDM | W 5-2 |
| Dec 23 | @ VAN | W 4-3 |
| Dec 21 | vs. SEA | W 6-2 |
Series History
The Canadiens hold a slight all-time edge in 336 meetings (including playoffs): 147-153-31-5 in favor of Montreal (50.1% win rate for BUF). In regular-season games, it’s 129-136-31-5 for MTL. However, Buffalo has a 8-9-3 record in the last 20 games. Montreal has won the last 5 straight, including a 4-2 victory on October 20, 2025. At KeyBank Center, the Sabres are 80-63-13 vs. MTL. Expect a competitive game, as recent matchups average 6.2 goals.
Betting Trends
Moneyline: MTL is 5-2 as road underdogs; BUF is 10-10 as home favorites.
Puck Line (Spread): MTL covers 60% as road dogs; BUF is 13-9 at home but only 10-10 when favored.
Total (Over/Under): Over has hit in 7 of BUF’s last 10 (avg. 7.1 goals/game) and 6 of MTL’s last 10 (avg. 6.3). Recent head-to-head trends lean over (5 of last 7 over 6.5).
Trends: Sabres are 13-2 in last 15 overall but 1-4 in last 5 vs. MTL. Canadiens are 4-1 in last 5 road games but struggle against hot teams like BUF.
Game Odds
Montreal Canadiens – 115
Buffalo Sabres 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, January 14, 2026
