The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres wish to each seeking to take command of a back-and-forth sequence, Thursday night time in Buffalo.
The Sabres evened the sequence with a 3-2 win in Montreal on Tuesday, thanks to 3rd interval energy play aim from Zach Benson.
Recreation 5 favours Montreal, regardless of being the street crew, as all sides has solely received two video games at residence to this point within the playoffs.
Looking again on the sequence, the Sabres received Recreation 1 by a rating of 4-2, whereas the Habs responded with a 5-1 victory in Recreation 2. The sequence shifted to Montreal, the place the Canadiens acquired their second victory, profitable 6-2 in Recreation 3, earlier than the Sabres received Recreation 4 by a rating of 3-2.
Recreation protection
The Buffalo Sabres opened the scoring early within the first interval when Jack Quinn fired a wrist shot from the blueline, which deflected off some our bodies in entrance of the crease and into the online. Jason Zucker would find yourself getting credited with the aim, which might be his first of the playoffs.
Cole Caufield would discover the equalizer for the Habs 4 and a half minutes later, when the Canadiens have been making use of the strain within the Sabres zone. Juraj Slafkovský would work the puck to Nick Suzuki, who would discover Caufield for the back-door tap-in to make it 1-1.
COLE CAUFIELD TIES IT UP FOR THE HABS ???? pic.twitter.com/kcffws1rvL
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 14, 2026
Simply over a minute later, the Sabres would regain the lead of the sport, following a turnover by the Habs. Josh Doan would find yourself firing the puck previous Jakub Dobeš, getting the help from Owen Energy.
Then simply 9 seconds later, the Canadiens would fireplace the puck into the Sabres’ zone following the draw, and Phillip Denault would scoop it up in opposition to the boards, pushing it again in direction of the blueline to Alexandre Service, who would fireplace a shot off Alexandre Texier and into the Sabres internet to make it 2-2.
THIS GAME!!
ALEX TEXIER QUICKLY ANSWERS FOR THE CANADIENS ???? pic.twitter.com/1Yq7PDZJok
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 14, 2026
Simply past the halfway level of the primary interval, the Sabres would take their third lead of the sport when Mattias Samuelsson carried the puck into the Habs’ finish and handed the puck to Konsta Helenius. Helenius would initially mishandle the puck earlier than sending a shot towards the online, which deflected off a defender’s skate previous Dobeš.
The Canadiens would stage the sport once more, this time eight minutes into the second interval, when Lane Hutson handed a puck by way of the Sabres’ crease, discovering Josh Anderson, who would tuck the puck into the online to make it 3-3.
WHAT A PLAY BY LANE HUTSON ????
JOSH ANDERSON TIES THE GAME!! pic.twitter.com/pTnHnr27ol
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 15, 2026
Montreal would get its first lead of the sport when Ivan Demidov shot a puck by way of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s five-hole, however the puck stopped simply wanting the aim line. Jake Evans would find yourself profitable the race to the unfastened puck, poking it in to make it 4-3.
JAKE EVANS GIVES MONTREAL THEIR FIRST LEAD OF GAME 5 ???? pic.twitter.com/9j3zI1qs7r
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 15, 2026
Only a minute and 18 seconds later, the Habs would double their lead on an influence play, when Slafkovský would regain possession of the puck, sending it into the slot for Suzuki, who would one-time it previous Luukkonen to make it 5-3.
NICK SUZUKI DOUBLES THE HABS LEAD ON THE POWER PLAY ???? pic.twitter.com/5uNTzxk5mH
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 15, 2026
The Sabres would find yourself making a goaltending change to begin the third interval, pulling Luukkonen for Alex Lyon. Luukkonen would finish the night time with 18 saves on 23 pictures by way of 40 minutes of play.
Ivan Demidov would get his first profession NHL playoff aim on a Canadiens third interval energy play. The Habs would work the puck across the offensive zone earlier than it ended up on Demidov’s stick, and he would blast a shot previous Lyon to make it 6-3.
FIRST CAREER #STANLEYCUP PLAYOFF GOAL FOR IVAN DEMIDOV ???? pic.twitter.com/Snf4u5S1Hx
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 15, 2026
Looking for any type of reply, the Sabres would pull Lyon for an additional attacker with 6:29 remaining within the third interval.
With slightly below three and a half minutes remaining, Hutson and Anderson would each find yourself taking penalties; nonetheless, the Sabres would solely find yourself getting a one man energy play as Bowen Byram would additionally find yourself taking a penalty.




