After a tight series win in Round 1, the Montreal Canadiens have failed to maintain their momentum in Round 2. The team lost its first Round 2 game against the Buffalo Sabres, who also held home-ice advantage.

Game 1 was a close battle between the Canadiens and the Sabres, with the final score being 4-2. There is a lot of buzz among the fans for Game 2, which will take place on Friday, May 8, with the puck dropping at 7 PM ET. The game will be held at the KeyBank Center, giving the Sabres a great opportunity to extend their lead with the home ice advantage.

For the fans who are looking forward to watching Game 2 at their home, here’s a look at the channels airing the game:

• TV Channel: ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2
• Streaming Platforms: DIRECTV, Fubo, ESPN App, Hulu, and Max
• Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

Round 1 was pretty competitive for both teams, particularly the Canadiens. After six games, they were 3-3 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, forcing a massive tiebreaker Game 7. Things remained competitive until the third period, when Alex Newhook made a breakthrough, allowing Montreal to win the game and series.

Compared to that, the Sabres had a respectable series against the Boston Bruins. Buffalo won the series in Game 6 by dominating the game and finishing 4-1. Following that victory, they managed a massive Game 1 victory over the Canadiens, giving them an early advantage and a lot of momentum. It will be difficult for Montreal to derail them in Game 2 because they will be on their home turf.

The Canadiens HC points out where Montreal is lacking against the Sabres

The Canadiens sealed their series win of Round 1 on May 2, and following that, they had 4-5 days before their second series began. This meant that the squad did not have enough time to recover from the minor injuries, as noted by the head coach during the post-game interview following Game 1. HC Martin St Louis noted how the Sabres have a rush game, and Montreal was unable to control the puck in the middle zone.

According to the NHL’s official website, St Louis stated,

“Buffalo has a really good rush game. You really have to manage the puck through the neutral zone, which I thought, for the most part, we did. But I feel like you have to manage the puck in the O-zone, too. A lot of 50-50 battles, you’ve got to be on the right side of it … so we have to do better there.

The HC went on to add,

“I felt our top guys got more touches in space and stuff. And that’s what I liked. And I liked that we battled. It wasn’t the start that we wanted in the game, in the series. But we’re going to keep going.”

The Canadiens also have two home games ahead of them, with Games 3 and 4 taking place at Bell Centre, providing them a chance to counter the Sabres.

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