The Buffalo Sabres scripted one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NHL history this season. They shattered a 14-year playoff drought, captured the Atlantic Division crown, and reignited a hockey-crazed city. But on Monday night at KeyBank Center, that magical run met its cruel end — Alex Newhook's wrist shot at 11:22 of overtime, silencing 19,000 fans and sending the Montreal Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-2 Game 7 victory.
Newhook, who also scored the series-clinching goal in Montreal's first-round Game 7 win over Tampa Bay, took a cross-ice feed from Alexandre Carrier, glided to the top of the left circle, and fired a low shot that beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen glove-side. The goal made Newhook just the second player in NHL history — joining Nathan Horton (2011, Boston Bruins) — to score multiple Game 7 series-clinching goals in a single postseason.
"It's a crazy feeling. A lot of emotion, obviously," Newhook said. "It was a war all series long, and for it to end up being Game 7 in overtime, sometimes it just takes one shot."
How Game 7 Unfolded: A Tale of Two Periods and One Heartbreaking Shot
Montreal came out flying in the first period. Phillip Danault opened the scoring at 4:30 when Kaiden Guhle's centering pass deflected off his right skate and past Luukkonen's left pad. Zachary Bolduc doubled the lead on the power play at 14:29, roofing a one-timer from the right circle off a no-look backhand feed from Nick Suzuki.
Down 2-0 after 20 minutes, the Sabres could have folded. They didn't. This team, after all, had been built on resilience.
Jordan Greenway cut the deficit to 2-1 at 13:19 of the second period when Mattias Samuelsson's point shot deflected off his leg during a net-front screen. The Sabres carried that momentum into the third, and it paid off when Rasmus Dahlin tied the game at 6:27. Owen Power cycled down the slot and fed his fellow defenseman, who one-timed it short-side over Jakub Dobes' blocker from low in the left circle.
"I think everyone in the room felt like we were winning that game," Tage Thompson said. "I don't really know how else to put it."
Timeline: From Last Place to Game 7 — The Sabres' Miraculous Season
To understand the weight of Monday's loss, you have to understand what came before it. The Sabres were dead last in the Eastern Conference on the morning of Dec. 8, sitting at 11-14-4 after a 7-4 loss to Calgary. Another lost season seemed inevitable.
- Dec. 8: Sabres fall to 11-14-4, last place in the Eastern Conference
- Dec. 9 - April: Buffalo wins 39 of its final 53 games, one of the best runs in NHL history
- April: Sabres capture the Atlantic Division title as the No. 1 seed (50-23-9)
- First Round: Buffalo defeats the Boston Bruins in six games, their first playoff series win since 2007
- May 6: Sabres take Game 1 vs. Montreal, 4-2
- May 8: Canadiens even series with 5-1 win in Game 2
- May 17: Facing elimination in Game 6, Sabres dominate Montreal 8-3 at Bell Centre
- May 18: Game 7 — Sabres fall 3-2 in overtime at KeyBank Center
"This was a team that never quit," Ruff said. "They probably had every excuse to at times, but they always found a reason to win."
Why This Loss Hurts — But Doesn't Define the Sabres
For a franchise that hadn't tasted playoff hockey in 14 years, this run was more than just a postseason appearance — it was a rebirth. The Sabres became the first team in NHL history to go from 14 straight missed playoffs to winning their division the following season. Lindy Ruff, a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year, said the pain of the loss wouldn't overshadow the pride he felt.
"It hurts. I told the team it hurts," Ruff said. "That pain will go away, but I won't let this one game define the season we had. I told the players how proud I was of them. The battle that we took into Game 6 in Montreal, and then we came back here and gave ourselves every chance to win. So, this one game doesn't define our season for us."
Ruff specifically noted the cultural transformation. "When I took the job, I thought, number one, I wanted these guys to like being a Buffalo Sabre. I think they like being a Sabre and I think they made our city proud."
Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, who was pulled in Game 6 after allowing six goals, rebounded with 37 saves in the Game 7 victory. "I actually felt really good this game," he said. "I think me getting pulled at home was kind of a wake-up call. I took it personal. And we won today, so I'm really happy."
Montreal will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, with Game 1 set for Thursday in Raleigh.
Where Things Stand Now: Bittersweet Progress for Buffalo
In the moments after the goal, as the Canadiens flooded the ice in celebration, KeyBank Center fell silent. Then something remarkable happened. The crowd — the same fans who had waited 15 years for a home playoff game — began to chant. "Let's Go, Buffalo!" echoed through the arena as the Sabres raised their sticks in gratitude.
"Just the energy in the city, the energy around our team again," Ruff said. "I'm so proud of our fans. And I know that this hurts them as much as it hurts us, but the energy around our team, around the city, in this building, outside the building: This was the first time our players got to experience something like this."
"It sucks," Luukkonen said bluntly. "It's nothing else. It sucks." But beneath the raw emotion was something the Sabres haven't had in nearly two decades — hope.
What Happens Next: The Road Ahead for Buffalo
The Sabres will head into the offseason with cap space, a young core led by Dahlin, Thompson, and Power, and the knowledge that they belong. The pressure now shifts to general manager Kevyn Adams and the front office to build on this foundation. Key decisions loom, including potential extensions and roster improvements to take the next step from contenders to champions.
"This is a giant step for us," Ruff said. "A giant step for all the players to really get a feel of what it's really like. To be proud of being a Buffalo Sabre."
For the first time in a long time, the end of a season didn't feel like an ending for the Sabres. It felt like merely a beginning.
The Bottom Line: Key Takeaways from Buffalo's Run
- Buffalo ended a 14-year playoff drought and won the Atlantic Division (50-23-9)
- The Sabres went from last in the East (11-14-4) to winning 39 of their final 53 games
- Game 7 marked Buffalo's deepest playoff run since reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2007
- Alex Newhook scored 6 goals in the series and joined rare NHL history with two Game 7 series-clinching goals in one postseason
- Lindy Ruff is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award after orchestrating one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NHL history
