Home ice proved to be the ultimate difference-maker on Day 23 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Montreal Canadiens 6, Buffalo Sabres 2
Montreal Leads Series 2-1
Riding the deafening momentum of their home crowd, the Montreal Canadiens routed the Buffalo Sabres 6-2 to take a 2-1 series lead. Alex Newhook stayed red-hot, burying two goals to pace the offensive explosion, while Cole Caufield chipped in with a goal and an assist of his own. Jake Evans and Lane Hutson each distributed two assists to keep the Sabres' defence on its heels. Jakub Dobes was rock solid, stopping 26 of 28 shots to comfortably backstop the Habs to a commanding victory.
Anaheim Ducks 4, Vegas Golden Knights 3
Series Tied 2-2
Facing the very real threat of falling behind 3-1, the Ducks delivered a gritty 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Veteran Alex Killorn and young gun Beckett Sennecke each recorded a goal and an assist, while Cutter Gauthier had a massive three-assist night. Despite the loss, Vegas winger Mitch Marner continued his torrid postseason pace. Marner assisted on all three Golden Knights goals, overtaking the outright NHL playoff scoring lead with 16 points.