Tonight's game is tough to call, but road teams have done well in the Habs-Sabres Eastern Conference series so far
Yesterday on TSN’s Overdrive, hockey analyst Mike Johnston talked about how fantastic it would be for Jean Beliveau’s widow, Elise, “The First Lady of the Canadiens”, to carry the torch into the lower bowl of the Bell Centre for Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres tonight, a pre-game tradition in Montreal.
Can you imagine what the reaction would be in that building? They do things right in Montreal, the true centre of the hockey universe, and such an emotional salute to the organization’s rich legacy, a handing off of the torch to today’s new generation of players – Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson – would be a wondrous way to set the tone for the game.
The Canadiens are in a position to take out the Sabres tonight and move on to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, who’ve been sitting back and waiting for a week, after taking out the Philadelphia Flyers in four straight games.
The Sabres are going to be tough to close out. Coach Lindy Ruff told the players to avoid the rink yesterday and was even thinking about cancelling this morning’s skate. You can understand that. This far into the season, what can be accomplished by practicing, talking about it, pouring over more game film?
Just show up tonight rested, ready to play, and throw it all onto the ice.
“We have to play on our toes,” Ruff told Associated Press. “We got to play to win. Can’t be afraid.”
BEST BETS
Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens, 8 p.m. EST, Bell Centre, Montreal
Canadiens lead the series 3-2
In NHL betting at Betway this morning, the Canadiens are Moneyline favourites, at -160, with the Sabres at +130. ATS: Canadiens -1.4 (+145), Sabres -1.5 (-190). Over/Under 6.5 (O +105, U -125).
Sabres To Win (+130)
The Canadiens won Game 5 in Buffalo, and put an exclamation point on it, final score 6-3.
Does Ruff come back with goalie Alex Lyon tonight, after Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen proved me wrong Thursday night, letting in five goals on 23 shots, for a .783 SV%, before getting pulled to start the third period?
We likely won’t know until just before puck drop.
One theme from this series has been the success of road teams – Canadiens 2-1 at KeyBank Center, Sabres 1-1 at Bell Centre.
The Sabres did go 0-for-2 on the power play Thursday night and have ranked lower in the NHL in power play efficiency during the playoffs, at 14.3%. The Habs, on the otherhand, have been efficient on the PP – 22.9%.
Under 6.5 (-125)
I am also leaning the Under 6.5 – three of the five games in this series have hit the Under.
In the previous round of the playoffs, four of the Sabres’ six games against the Boston Bruins hit the Under 6.5 And in the Habs-Tampa Bay Lightning series – all seven games hit that Under.
The Sabres know they can’t get dragged into any track meet on offence tonight, or they won’t be going back to Buffalo for Game 7 Monday.
Cole Caufield Total Goals 0.5 (Over +135)
Caufield has been coming on as the series has progressed, after being silent in the opening round against Tampa Bay.
The Canadiens went 2-for-2 in the power play Thursday night, and Caufield, who scored 51 goals in the regular season, is central to that.
Caufield, whose quick release has become a big matchup problem for the Sabres, has goals in three straight games.
And don’t sleep on Demidov Total Points Over 0.5 (-120). Demidov has been hot of late.
