What a game. As a hockey fan, that whole thing embodied what Game 7 means. From hot starts, battling back, great goals and better goaltending. If you sat down to watch Game 7 of Montreal vs Buffalo as your first hockey game, you might just be a fan for life.
The Hot Start
Montreal came out hot opening the scoring just 4:30 into the first period. Danault out-muscled a young Konsta Helenius in front of the net to gain position. Guhle called the bank shot off Danault's skate and we have a 1-0 game.
After a frantic scramble in the Sabres end, Zach Benson fires the puck over the glass sending the lethal Montreal powerplay onto the ice. Late into the powerplay Nick Suzuki throws a perfect no-look pass to Zach Bolduc in the slot. Bolduc wastes no time and hammers the puck high glove side on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The score is now 2-0 late in the 1st period and it felt a little like Montreal was going to run away in this Game 7.
Buffalo Climbs Back
Heading into the second period Buffalo needed some life. They were getting out-muscled on the boards and losing a lot of puck battles. Once that puck dropped, Buffalo was a different team. They took control of the game, owning the puck battles, getting shots to the net, but Dobes was standing on his head. It seemed the only way you could beat Dobes tonight was a bounce or a perfect passing play.
13:19 into the 2nd period there was a mad scramble in front of Dobes. Montreal did a fine job of boxing out but that did leave the points open. As the puck trickled out of the pile it found its way to the stick of Samuelsson. With 6 bodies in front of Dobes he had no eyes for the puck and Samuelsson ripped it blocker side, but it ticked off Greenway's pants and in. Greenway has Buffalo into this game, and the KeyBank Center was ROCKING. Score is now 2-1 Montreal, but all the momentum was with Buffalo.
You could feel the energy in the arena, but the master of killing momentum was between the pipes for Montreal. Save after save had Buffalo Sabres fans sitting on the edge of their seats with hands covering their faces.
As the period ended Buffalo was out-shooting Montreal 23-18. Montreal was playing a trap game, sitting back with a forward basically on the blueline the whole time. As the 3rd was about to start, I thought they would switch styles, but they kept to their guns.
Dahlin Forces Overtime
We enter period 3 of Game 7 with Montreal holding a 2-1 lead. Buffalo's season now hangs in the balance of the next 20 minutes. Desperation finds a way into their game as they continue to pepper Dobes. Montreal continues to play the trap, trying to keep Buffalo to the outside, but the Sabres are forechecking hard and putting a body on everything they can to try and tie this hockey game.
Finally off a set faceoff play, Owen Power finds Rasmus Dahlin streaking in from the blueline and he goes short side on Dobes, drawing Buffalo even at 2. Now we sit with 10 minutes left in Game 7 tied at 2-2.
Someone is going to have to step up to be the hero. Many Sabres try to be the hero that Buffalo deserves, but the Montreal rookie is destined to be remembered in Canadiens history with the legendary Ken Dryden. After 10 minutes of pressure from Buffalo and a few breaks for Montreal we are heading to overtime in Game 7. Shots end at 33 for Buffalo and 22 for Montreal.
The Hero
Both teams looked a bit nervous to start as no player wants to be the one to make a mistake. Buffalo is continuing to apply pressure, but it is a turnover at the Sabres blueline by Tage Thompson that leads to an Alex Newhook odd-man rush.
Newhook is the series leader right now with goals and he makes no mistake with a sinking wrist shot far side. Finding a hole between Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's glove and pad. The sinker finds the post and in. Montreal has two new household names: Jakub Dobes and Alex Newhook.
Newhook had the series winner in Game 7 against Tampa and now adds the series winner against Buffalo. Alex Newhook is on a magical playoff run and everyone in Montreal should jump aboard. Dobes is backstopping the Canadiens to a performance they haven't seen since 1970-71.
Final Thoughts
The Buffalo Sabres season comes to an end, but it was a successful one. They had everyone doubting their team in September and proceeded to hush the critics. The rivalries from this season will continue next year, but Sabres fans will have to wait 5 months for that to happen.
For Montreal, this was the Game 7 (maybe without overtime) they dreamed of. They will continue their quest for the Stanley Cup against the Carolina Hurricanes. A Hurricanes team that has not lost a game during their playoff run and have 12 days of rest.