Habs hang on in Game 7, eliminate Lightning, move on to face Buffalo Sabres

The Montreal Canadiens are moving on to the second round of the NHL playoffs after stealing Game 7 on the road.

Alex Newhook scored the go-ahead goal at 11:07 in the third period and Jakub Dobes made 28 saves as the Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1, prevailing 4-3 in the hard-fought first-round series on Sunday night.

The Canadiens, who only registered nine shots, set a Stanley Cup playoffs record for fewest shots on goal in a win.

Montreal will face Buffalo in the next round after the Sabres eliminated the Boston Bruins in six games. What's bound to be an exciting matchup between two up-and-coming teams begins Wednesday in Buffalo.

The Canadiens failed to register a shot on goal in a playoff period for the first time in franchise history Sunday, outshot 12-0 in the second despite going on the power play twice.

The win nevertheless capped an epic series against the Lightning, a compelling matchup between a young Montreal group launching its competitive window and an experienced Lightning aiming to add to its legacy.

See how the Bell Centre erupted after Suzuki's Game 7 goal

The series featured seven one-goal games and four overtimes after both teams finished with 106 points in the regular season. The Canadiens could have won the series in Game 6 on Friday, but the Lightning staved off elimination with a thrilling 1-0 overtime win at the Bell Centre.

Montreal is the only Canadian team still standing after the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers bowed out in the first round.

It’s official. The <a href="https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanadiensMTL</a> are Canada’s team in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.<br><br>Montréal, we’re behind you all the way