Brian Wilde

The Buffalo Sabres weren't pleased with the third game of their Atlantic Division final, so they made major changes for Game 4.

For the second straight series, it's a best of three for the Montreal Canadiens. They won games five and seven against Tampa Bay.

The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres will play Game 7. The Sabres were absolutely dominant in a 8-3 win on Saturday night, forcing the Canadiens to a deciding game for the second time in their 2026 playoff run.

In a dramatic Game 7, the Canadiens won in overtime in Buffalo. Alex Newhook was the hero again in a 3-2 victory. The Canadiens face the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday.

And now there are four. The Stanley Cup will be won by the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes or Montreal Canadiens.

After shellacking the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final — the most satisfying win of the playoffs — the Montreal

It's game three that the trend truly develops in a series. After two games of feeling each other out, it is in the third game that coaches have made

One can safely presume in the history of the NHL that a team with a save percentage of .804 for a series has never beaten a team with a .914 save percentage.

The Canadiens entered the playoffs ranked sixth, and had already beaten the fifth and the fourth, before hitting a wall facing the second-ranked team. So what's next?

The Canadiens entered the playoffs ranked sixth, and had already beaten the fifth and the fourth, before hitting a wall facing the second-ranked team. It's not a time to lament. It's a time to celebrate. It's time to look at the big picture.