Montreal eliminated Tampa Bay in seven games, advancing to face Buffalo in the second round. Goaltender Jakub Dobes was the difference maker, outdueling Andrei Vasilevskiy throughout the series.
Goaltending was the deciding factor. When two teams are this close in quality, netminding often tips the scale. Dobes' 28 saves in Game 7 sealed the victory, while Tampa Bay's puck possession advantage throughout the series couldn't overcome his performance.
The Canadiens won the special teams battle with five power-play goals apiece, but held a slim even-strength edge at 11-10. That one-goal differential proved crucial.
Montreal's top line disappeared. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky—one of the league's deadliest combinations—were held to minus-four in the series. Tampa Bay matched them with Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel, and Nikita Kucherov, successfully shutting down Montreal's best unit.
Depth scoring saved the Canadiens. With the top line struggling, Alex Texier, Kirby Dach, and Zach Bolduc delivered a combined plus-six rating, outscoring Tampa Bay 6-0 in their minutes. That secondary production carried Montreal to victory.
Round 2 presents a new challenge. Buffalo lacks Tampa Bay's elite matchup personnel but possesses exceptional depth, capable of rolling three lines and three pairings confidently—a stark contrast to Boston in the first round.
Montreal must re-establish its top trio's dominance to upset the Sabres. Elite goaltending and depth scoring got them through Round 1. Advancing further requires Caufield, Suzuki, and Slafkovsky to reclaim their form.