Sabres 8-3 Canadiens (May 16, 2026) Final Score - ESPN
Game summary of the Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens NHL game, final score 8-3, from May 16, 2026 on ESPN.
www.espn.comHere’s the latest on the 75 Cup Semifinal between the Canadiens and Sabres.
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Summary: The Sabres forced a decisive Game 7 by rallying to beat the Canadiens 8-3 in Game 6, with Buffalo erasing a 3-1 deficit and piling on seven unanswered goals after the early burst. This sets up a winner-takes-all confrontation in Buffalo to decide who advances.[1][3]
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Key performances: Rasmus Dahlin contributed a five-point night (one goal, four assists), while Jack Quinn scored twice and added an assist. Tage Thompson also logged three assists and an empty-net tally, and Zach Benson chipped in a goal and assist. For Montreal, Arber Xhekaj, Ivan Demidov, and Jake Evans scored, but the comeback overwhelmed them.[1]
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Game 7 context: The series winner advances to face Carolina in the conference final. Montreal carried momentum from a strong start in Game 6, but Buffalo's surge changed the trajectory, making Game 7 the series’ pivotal tilt.[5][1]
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Additional context: Montreal was aiming to reach the conference final for the first time since 2021, while Buffalo looked to continue a strong postseason push. Game 7 is widely anticipated to be a high-intensity, road-tested matchup given the momentum swing in Game 6.[6][5]
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Related coverage: ESPN’s recap and CBS Sports’ recap corroborate the 8-3 final and the dramatic shift late in Game 6, with Game 7 implications highlighted in multiple outlets. ESPN’s recap confirms the final score and key contributors; CBS Sports emphasizes the rally and the series-advancing stakes.[2][1]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest box score, and provide a concise 1-paragraph preview for Game 7 with expected lineups and goaltending projections. I can also create a quick chart comparing goal contributions by period in Game 6 to illustrate Buffalo’s second-half surge.