Canadiens vs Sabres NHL Playoffs Game 7 Picks

The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres are set for a winner-take-all Game 7 of their NHL Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series on Monday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:40 PM ET at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

The Canadiens have controlled the series thus far, holding series leads of 2-1 and 3-2, but the Sabres have done a great job of battling back. In Game 6, Buffalo trailed 3-2 after the 1st period but mounted an impressive comeback, posting five consecutive goals en route to a convincing 8-3 win. Now, only one team can advance past Monday night. 

There aren’t many better spectacles in sports than Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Buckle up.

Canadiens vs Sabres Game 7 Predictions

• Pick #1: Montreal Canadiens ML over Buffalo Sabres (+100)
• Pick #2: Over 5.5 (+100)
• Pick #3: Cole Caufield anytime goalscorer (+180)

Pick #1: Montreal Canadiens ML over Buffalo Sabres (+100)

The Canadiens are looking to rally after suffering an 8-3 loss in Game 6 on home ice. As rough as that performance was, Montreal should still enter Game 7 with plenty of confidence. Throughout the playoffs, the Habs have shown they are resilient and great at bouncing back. The Canadiens have yet to lose back-to-back games in the postseason, and that kind of fortitude figures to serve them well in Game 7.

The Canadiens have also been solid on the road in the playoffs. So far, Montreal is a strong 5-2 on the road this postseason. They took two of three in Tampa Bay against the Lightning in the first round, and have taken two of three in Buffalo against the Sabres so far in this series. Furthermore, the Sabres have won just two of their six home playoff games, and their lone win on home ice in this series came back in Game 1. Since then, the Sabres are 0-2 at KeyBank Center and lost those games by a combined score of 11-4.

Montreal’s goaltending situation also warrants a bit more confidence than Buffalo’s. Jakub Dobes had a rough go of it in Game 6, but he has still been a reliable force through the postseason. Buffalo’s goaltending situation has a lot more question marks. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is slated to get the starting nod, but he has seen inconsistent playing time and owns a postseason save percentage of .875 and a 3.36 goals-against average. Dobes shone in Game 7 against Tampa Bay, turning aside 21 of 22 shots to lead Montreal to a 2-1 win. That experience and performance should give him plenty of confidence that he can slow down Buffalo’s offense in this one.

Playing on the road, look for Montreal to score a huge Game 7 win.

Pick #2: Over 5.5 (+100)

As previously mentioned, Buffalo’s goaltending situation doesn’t warrant much confidence. Luukkonen has only seen four postseason starts, and he hasn’t exactly been reliable. He’s allowed 14 total goals in those four games, and Buffalo is 2-2 in those contests. Montreal should be able to give him some issues.

On the other side, Dobes has been solid for Montreal, but he has taken a step back over his last two games. In that span, he has stopped 60 of 69 shots, which equates to a save percentage of .867. Buffalo seems to be figuring him out, and he may have his hands full once again.

Both teams have been reliable on the power play in this series, with Buffalo going 9-for-24 (37.5%) and Montreal going 7-for-25 (28%). Both teams' power play prowess certainly helps raise the offensive ceiling in this one.

Pick #3: Cole Caufield (MTL) anytime goalscorer (+180)

During the regular season, Montreal’s Cole Caufield was one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the NHL. Specifically, he led the Canadiens and finished 2nd in the NHL with 51 goals. However, Caufield got off to a slow start in the playoffs. He potted just a single goal in Monreal’s seven-game series against Tampa Bay in the first round, and was held without a goal through the first two games of this series against Buffalo.

But Caufield has since come on strong, scoring in three consecutive contests in Games 3, 4, and 5. He seems to find success in the goal-scoring department against the Sabres; he has four goals in four regular-season games, and now has 13 goals in 23 career games against the Sabres. With so much on the line, Caufield shouldn’t be expected to be shy about shooting the puck tonight. He should get plenty of opportunities, and I like his chances of finding the back of the net.