About Last Night: Canadiens can’t be lulled into complacency after two lopsided wins

After a tight opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the offensive floodgates have opened for the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2.

Alex Newhook continued his hot streak with another two goals while Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky busted their goal-scoring slumps in a 6-2 rout over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday at the Bell Centre.

The Habs have now scored 11 times in the last two games.

Jakub Dobes was also a major factor. He not only made 26 saves, but once again held the fort after the Sabres tried to rattle him, this time in the form of Beck Malenstyn driving into him at full speed.

Since the curtain was lowered on Game 2, fans were wondering who would carry the torch when the Habs returned to the Bell Centre for Game 3. It was former captain and 1993 Cup winner Kirk Muller who held the flame.

The Sabres needed a fast start after getting walloped at home in Game 2, and they came out with a goal on the game’s first shot thanks to a Caufield giveaway at the blue line.

That was about all the Sabres could muster, as they proceeded to give up the next four goals. One came in the first period, with Alex Newhook picking up Jake Evans’s loose change in front.

Late in the first period, Zachary Bolduc was assessed a four-minute double minor after giving Alex Lyon an ice shower. On the bench, Slafkovsky was shocked by the official’s explanation.

Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky reacts as he listens to referee Garrett Rank explain a penalty call to head coach Martin St. Louis during the first period of Game 3 of the National Hockey League playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres in Montreal, Sunday May 10, 2026. John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette

In the second period, Caufield finally lit the lamp after being skunked all series. He missed a couple of grade-A chances earlier, but made no mistake completing Lane Hutson’s dazzling setup on the power play.

That was the first of three consecutive second-period goals for the Habs. Bolduc got in on the action as the trailer on a pass from Joe Veleno. It was the latter’s first point of the playoffs.

Not only did Caufield wake up, so did the Habs power play. The equally snakebit Slafkovsky scored the team’s second goal with the man-advantage on the night to give the Habs a three-goal lead in the second. The Canadiens were 11-0-0 in the regular season when both Habs first-liners scored in the same game.

Before the end of the period, the Sabres cut into Montreal’s lead on a power play of their own, from a sneaky shot by Rasmus Dahlin. It was a two-goal game after 40 minutes.

More Habs dominance in the third. Kirby Dach continued his impressive postseason showing with his fourth goal of the playoffs. Alexandre Texier had the initial chance off the two-on-one and Dach potted home the rebound. Newhook completed the Canadiens’ touchdown with an empty netter. Dobes has not allowed a third-period goal in his last six games.

After a stingy series against the Lightning, it felt likely that the ice would open up a little more against the big and fast Sabres. But 11 goals in two games is quite a turnaround after watching the Habs scrape for every chance in Round 1. The last time the Habs scored five or more goals in consecutive playoff games was 2006.

Attempts to intimidate the Habs backfired for Buffalo. The Slafkovsky dagger came on a power play issued from the Malentsyn interference penalty on Dobes.

Right before the final siren, Arber Xhekaj dropped Sam Carrick with a one-punch knockout.

And on the Bolduc double minor, it was Dach who got both Sabres players in a double headlock while his teammate landed on Lyon.

While coach Martin St. Louis will be relieved to see Caufield and Slafkovsky back on the scoresheet, according to Hockey Stat Cards, it was a particularly strong game for Montreal’s character players. Newhook has come on strong, with all five of his playoff goals coming in the last four games.

If you’re superstitious or believe in bad karma, skip to the next paragraph: Some of the Liveblog commenters on the Hockey Inside Out YouTube livestream were calling for the Carolina Hurricanes, who already clinched their spot in the third round, after another lopsided Habs win.

Others were quick to caution it’s only 2-1 in a best-of-seven. The Habs will get a chance to take a series chokehold on Tuesday at home before returning to Buffalo for Game 5.

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