The Buffalo Sabres take on the Montreal Canadiens for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round. Here’s how to watch live on TV.
- Time: 8:00 PM ET
- Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
- TV Channels: ABC
How to Watch Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens on May 16, 2026
You can watch the Montreal Canadiens take on the Buffalo Sabres live on DIRECTV on ABC on May 16, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.
Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens — Game 6 Preview
Buffalo arrives at Bell Centre on the brink, trailing Montreal 3-2 and needing a road win to force Game 7. The Sabres rolled into the postseason with a 50-23-9 regular season record and beat the 48-24-10 Canadiens in Game 1, but Montreal has answered with three wins in the four games since, including a 6-3 win in Game 5 in Buffalo.
Montreal has also received strong play from Jakub Dobes in net, while Buffalo’s crease situation has shifted between Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen during the postseason. A loss tonight would end the Sabres’ season.
Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson are tied for postseason scoring for the Habs at 12 points apiece, and Hutson’s 10 assists from the blue line have been the engine behind a Montreal power play that has converted from the moment the series shifted. Buffalo’s Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 11 points but sits at a minus-2 on the series, and the road group will need more from Alex Tuch and his pair of game-winners if they want to extend this round.
Montreal Canadiens lead the series 3-2.
Live Coverage
ABC
What Time is the Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres Game Today?
The Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens game starts at 8:00 PM ET.
Where Can I Watch Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens?
You can watch Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens on ABC.
Buffalo Sabres Channel on DIRECTV
MSG Sports Network (Channel 635)
Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens — 2026 Playoffs Series Schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Venue | TV | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | May 6, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY | TNT, truTV, HBO Max | Sabres 4, Canadiens 2 |
| Game 2 | May 8, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY | TNT, HBO Max | Canadiens 5, Sabres 1 |
| Game 3 | May 10, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | ESPN | Canadiens 6, Sabres 2 |
| Game 4 | May 12, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | ESPN | Sabres 3, Canadiens 2 |
| Game 5 | May 14, 2026 | 7:00 PM ET | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY | TNT, truTV, HBO Max | Canadiens 6, Sabres 3 |
| Game 6 | May 16, 2026 | 8:00 PM ET | Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | ABC | — |
| Game 7 | May 18, 2026 | TBD | KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY | TBD | TBD |
Players to Watch: Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
Buffalo Sabres
Tage Thompson — C. G 4, A 7, P 11. Buffalo’s leading scorer in the postseason and the center who has to be on the ice when the Sabres need a goal. Thompson’s minus-2 rating reflects how the matchup has gone the wrong way at five-on-five, and a reset on that line is one of the biggest tactical questions for Buffalo tonight.
Rasmus Dahlin — D. G 2, A 6, P 8. The captain has been Buffalo’s most productive defenseman through the round and a plus-2 rating says he’s been on the right side of most of it. His minutes against Suzuki and Hutson will set the tone for how the Sabres handle Montreal’s top unit.
Alex Tuch — RW. G 4, A 3, GWG 2. Both of Tuch’s goals in this series came in winning efforts, and he’s the kind of physical, north-south winger who tends to surface in elimination games. Expect him on the ice late if the score is close.
Alex Lyon — G. W 4, L 3, SV% .917. Lyon has the better save percentage of the two starters in this series but has lost three of the last four. A bounce-back start would buy Buffalo a Game 7 at home.
Montreal Canadiens
Nick Suzuki — C. G 4, A 8, P 12. Suzuki is tied for the postseason scoring lead and has been at the center of every Montreal scoring run in this series. He has 2 power-play goals and has fed the top unit with the kind of zone entries that have given Buffalo’s penalty kill problems.
Lane Hutson — D. G 2, A 10, P 12. Ten assists from a defenseman in five games is the number that defines this series. Hutson runs Montreal’s power play from the point and a plus-3 rating shows he’s holding up well at the other end too. If the Sabres can’t slow him down, the series ends tonight.
Cole Caufield — RW. G 4, A 4, PPG 3. Three of Caufield’s four goals have come on the power play, which is where Montreal has done much of its damage. With Patrik Laine out, Caufield is the most reliable shooter in Montreal’s top six and the Sabres’ penalty kill will key on him.
Jakub Dobes — G. W 7, L 5, SV% .914. Dobes has been the steadier of the two goalies over the last three games and has a chance to close out a Second Round series at home for the first time in his career.
What is the Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens Series Record?
Montreal Canadiens lead the series 3-2. Buffalo won Game 1 at home before Montreal took three of the next four, including a 6-2 win in Game 3 and a 6-3 win in Game 5. A Montreal win tonight ends the series and sends the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Final.
Injury Report: Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
Buffalo Sabres
Noah Ostlund (C) — out, left lower body
Jiri Kulich (C) — Injured Reserve, ear
Justin Danforth (RW) — Injured Reserve, kneecap fracture
Montreal Canadiens
Patrik Laine (RW) — Injured Reserve, abdomen
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