The Montreal Canadiens are heading to the Eastern Conference final after a dramatic overtime victory in Buffalo, powered by a fearless performance from young goaltender Jakub Dobes who embraced the pressure, ignored the taunts, and delivered the biggest win of his playoff career.
Facing a hostile crowd at KeyBank Center and coming off a disastrous outing in Game 6, Dobes responded with resilience and determination Monday night, stopping 37 shots as the Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime to clinch the series in seven games.
The game-winning moment came when Alex Newhook buried the overtime winner, sending Montreal into celebration mode and booking a showdown against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final beginning Thursday in Raleigh.
But the story of the night belonged to Dobes, whose redemption arc unfolded under intense pressure. Just two days earlier, the 24-year-old Czech goalie had been pulled from an ugly 8-3 loss at the Bell Centre after allowing six goals in Game 6. Buffalo fans repeatedly mocked him Monday, chanting his name as the Sabres battled back from a 2-0 deficit.
Instead of folding, Dobes fed off the energy.
The fiery netminder admitted afterward that the chants motivated him, saying he enjoyed playing the role of the villain and used the crowd’s hostility as fuel. His calm but confident performance became the backbone of Montreal’s victory.
Montreal initially appeared in control after goals from Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc gave the Canadiens an early 2-0 lead. However, Buffalo clawed back with goals from Jordan Greenway and Rasmus Dahlin to force overtime and ignite the home crowd.
Dobes then delivered several critical saves that kept Montreal alive, including a breakaway stop on Jack Quinn, a massive save on Tage Thompson late in regulation, and a tense scramble in front of the crease during the final minutes of the third period.
His overtime denial on Thompson proved especially crucial before Newhook ended the series moments later.
Canadiens players praised Dobes afterward for his mental toughness and consistency throughout the playoffs. Veteran forward Josh Anderson called the goaltender the backbone of the team’s playoff run, while Bolduc described Dobes as the club’s best player since the opening round.
Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis credited the team’s ability to “bounce forward” after setbacks, a phrase that has become central to the Canadiens’ identity during this playoff run. St. Louis emphasized the importance of quickly resetting mentally after difficult losses and focusing on the next challenge rather than dwelling on mistakes.
Defenceman Mike Matheson admitted the team did not make life easy for Dobes, but said the goaltender repeatedly bailed them out when Buffalo controlled stretches of the game.
Now, after surviving elimination pressure, a hostile road environment, and a hard-fought seven-game battle, the Canadiens find themselves just four wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
And at the centre of Montreal’s playoff surge stands a young goalie who turned boos into motivation and transformed himself from Game 6 scapegoat into Game 7 hero overnight.