The Buffalo Sabres are set to renew a longtime rivalry in the second round of the NHL playoffs, drawing the Montreal Canadiens after both clubs advanced from the opening round.
Montreal secured its spot with a dramatic Game 7 victory, edging the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Sunday night to close out its first-round series. The win sets up a postseason meeting between the Sabres and Canadiens for the first time in more than two decades.
These franchises share a deep playoff history, though their last encounter came in 1998 when Buffalo swept Montreal in the second round. Prior to that, the Canadiens had the upper hand during the early 1990s, knocking the Sabres out of the playoffs three times in four years. That stretch included Montreal’s 1993 Stanley Cup run, when it defeated Buffalo in a four-game sweep after the Sabres had advanced past Boston in memorable fashion.
This season, the teams were evenly matched, splitting their four regular-season meetings with two wins apiece.
The matchup begins in Buffalo, where Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m., followed by Game 2 on Friday. The series will then shift to Montreal for Games 3 and 4.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].