Jarrett Allen, Donovan Mitchell each have big nights as Cavaliers pull away to take Game 7 from Raptors
Cavaliers pull away to win Game 7 against Raptors, advance to face Pistons
The Montreal Canadiens have advanced to the second round of the playoffs after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 with a 2-1 victory, clinching the series 4-3.
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
It’s official, the Montreal Canadiens will take part in more playoff hockey, having won their first-round series versus the Tampa Bay Lighting.
The Canadiens were victorious in Game 7, earning a 2-1 win against the Bolts, and clinching a 4–3 series win in the process.
This can only be seen a significant step forward for the organization, as they were clearly the underdogs heading into the series, and yet, they rarely allowed the Lightning to establish a single-goal lead.
They also held an edge in high-danger scoring chances for the majority of the series, the driving force behind their first-round win, alongside a few other factors, including Jakub Dobes’ goaltending, and Montreal’s depth scoring.
The Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs, and given that they finished the regular season with 109 points, three more than the Habs, Buffalo will hold the home-ice advantage in the series.
Buffalo secured their first-round win by beating the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Friday, with Alex Tuch (4), Mattias Samuelsson (2), and (2) providing the offence for the Sabres, while (3) was the lone goalscorer for the Bruins.
The final score of Game 7 was 2-1 in favor of the Montreal Canadiens.
The Canadiens won the playoff series against the Lightning with a 4-3 overall record.
The schedule for the Canadiens' next game in the second round has not been specified in the provided information.
Cavaliers pull away to win Game 7 against Raptors, advance to face Pistons
White Sox fall short against Padres, losing 4-3 in a tight game.
Detroit Lions fans may need to wait longer for the schedule release, potentially until May 18.
A North Korean women's football club will play in South Korea for the first time since 2018, facing Suwon FC Women on May 20. This match is part of the Champions League semi-finals and reflects rare sporting exchanges between the two nations.
Braden Montgomery promoted to Triple-A; Korey Lee's walk-off leads Knights to victory!
JJ Redick highlights Lakers' focus on ball security vs. Thunder
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
The Habs have the wind at their back, but it could end up being a very difficult series, as Buffalo tends to be a bad match up from a stylistic standpoint. Montreal and Buffalo split their four-game season series, but there were stretches in which the Sabres outclassed the Canadiens by a rather wide margin.
Such is life in the NHL Playoffs.
To be the best, you have to beat the best, and the Sabres are certainly among the best teams in the NHL this year.
*If necessary.
Related Headlines