BUFFALO, N.Y. — In a tense Game 5 matchup at the KeyBank Center, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes weathered a stormy first period to deliver a standout performance, stopping 33 of 36 shots as his team rallied for a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The win gives the Canadiens a commanding 3-2 lead in their second-round Eastern Conference playoff series, putting them one victory away from advancing to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference final.
The game started disastrously for Dobes, the 24-year-old second-year netminder, who allowed three goals on the first four shots he faced. Buffalo struck first when Jack Quinn's shot caromed off Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson and forward Jason Zucker before trickling past Dobes early in the opening frame. The Canadiens responded quickly, tying the score 4½ minutes later, but Buffalo's Josh Doan restored the lead with a blistering one-timer just 1:14 after that. Montreal evened it again nine seconds later, only for Buffalo's Konsta Helenius to fire a puck that slipped by Dobes just past the 10-minute mark of the period.
Midway through that chaotic first period, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis faced a pivotal decision. With his team trailing 3-2 and Dobes visibly frustrated, St. Louis consulted via headset with assistant Trevor Letowski and interim goalie coach Marco Marciano, who was watching from a private suite above the ice. The message from upstairs was clear: keep Dobes in the game. "Keep him in," St. Louis relayed, emphasizing his trust in the specialists. "OK, let’s move on. I feel like you have to empower the people that are actually certified for the position."
St. Louis's faith paid off handsomely. From that point forward, Dobes was a wall in net, allowing just three more shots to beat him over the final two periods while making 32 consecutive saves after his rough start. He credited the support from his coach and teammates for turning the tide. "A couple tough bounces lately," Dobes said, referencing a wild goal off a stanchion that contributed to Montreal's 3-2 home loss in Game 4 on Thursday. "But I just feel like the one lesson I learned from (Thursday is) just got to have a better body language for the boys — don’t let them know that I’m not feeling maybe my best."
The intermission provided a reset for the Canadiens. Dobes noted that the team gathered in the locker room and emerged energized. "We talked a little bit during intermission. We met up in the locker room and we were really excited," he said. That momentum shift was evident early in the second period, where Dobes made a crucial breakaway stop on Buffalo's Tage Thompson less than four minutes in, preserving Montreal's one-goal deficit at the time.
St. Louis praised his goaltender's resilience, acknowledging the unique challenges of the position. "The goalie position is probably the one position that I can’t help much," the coach said. "I try to stay out of it and not be emotionally driven, and being upset that we’re down. The first period was chaotic on both sides." Dobes, known for his fiery demeanor—he's tangled with Sabres players both during and after whistles throughout the series—expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to battle back. "That’s a big part, to have (the) trust of your coach and I will never disrespect it," he said. "I appreciate it and the only thing I was trying to do (was) just give some momentum back to the team and try to keep it tight … it worked out."
Montreal's offense ignited after Dobes's big save, with forwards Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, and captain Nick Suzuki each scoring to flip the script. Anderson and Evans found the net in quick succession, and Suzuki added a power-play goal to give the Canadiens a 5-3 lead through two periods. Buffalo's Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who faced 29 shots, couldn't stem the tide as Montreal poured it on. Suzuki, who finished with two assists for a three-point night, had a quiet word with Dobes after Buffalo's third goal, reinforcing the team's unwavering support.
Teammates lauded Dobes's mental fortitude in the face of adversity. Defenseman Mike Matheson highlighted the young goalie's maturity. "He continues to show a lot of maturity and battle in his game for such a young player, young goalie," Matheson said. "It’s really impressive. It’s mental strength to be able to do that. It gives us a lot of confidence when he’s battling." Forward Juraj Slafkovsky, who notched three assists in the game, credited St. Louis's decision as a confidence booster. "It’s just Marty trusting him," Slafkovsky said. "It’s huge for confidence of him. And we all trust him as well. I’m not the one making the decision," he added with a laugh. "But I like it the way it is."
Suzuki echoed that sentiment, emphasizing Dobes's preparation and attitude. "He’s super confident in himself," the captain said. "He puts the work in off the ice to have his mental training where it needs to be. He’s a fighter, he wants to be in the battle with the guys. He’s got the perfect kind of attitude in a goalie." The victory wasn't just about Dobes's heroics; it showcased Montreal's depth and resilience after a series that has seen the teams trade blows. The Canadiens, who advanced past the first round with relative ease, have now won two straight after dropping the previous two games to Buffalo.
This series has been marked by physicality and close contests, with each team holding home-ice advantages in their wins. Game 4's stanchion deflection that decided it in Buffalo's favor added to the drama, but Dobes's response in Game 5 demonstrated his growth. As a second-year player drafted by Montreal in 2020, Dobes has been thrust into a starring role due to injuries and inconsistencies elsewhere in the crease. His performance Thursday positions him as a key figure in the Canadiens' postseason push.
Looking ahead, Montreal hosts Game 6 on Saturday night at the Bell Centre, where a raucous crowd is expected to create an electric atmosphere. A win there would send the Canadiens to the Eastern Conference final against the Hurricanes, who await the winner of this series. Buffalo, meanwhile, faces elimination and will need to channel the urgency that fueled their early lead in Game 5. Sabres coach Don Granato, though not quoted in immediate postgame reports, has emphasized the need for sustained pressure throughout games in this matchup.
The NHL playoffs have been intense this spring, with upsets and dramatic turns defining the bracket. Montreal's path mirrors that unpredictability, as they build on a regular season that saw them finish third in the Atlantic Division. Dobes's emergence adds an intriguing narrative, especially as the team eyes a deeper run after missing the playoffs in recent years. As St. Louis noted, empowering specialists like his goalie coach was crucial, a philosophy that has the Canadiens on the brink of their first conference final appearance since 2021.
For Buffalo, the loss stings after a strong start to the series, where they won the first two games at home before Montreal stole the next two in Quebec. Players like Thompson and Quinn will need to capitalize on second chances if the Sabres hope to force a Game 7. Yet, with Dobes regaining his form and Montreal's offense clicking—Suzuki now leads the team with multiple multipoint games in the playoffs—the momentum clearly favors the visitors turned hosts for the decisive clash.
As the series shifts back to Montreal, all eyes will be on whether Dobes can maintain his shutdown mode and if the Canadiens can close out the series efficiently. The stakes are high, with a spot in the conference final offering a chance to extend their season deep into June. For now, St. Louis's gamble on his young goalie has the Habs one step closer to that goal.