The Buffalo Sabres had a rough start to the 2025-26 season. They dropped their first three games, and they did not play a particularly inspiring brand of hockey. However, two wins over the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers have the team feeling confident. Head coach Lindy Ruff can get his squad back to .500 on Monday night with a win over the Montreal Canadiens, which fans can watch on Prime Monday Night Hockey at 7:30 p.m ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Buffalo's win over the Panthers was a bit of a surprise. Of course, any team can win any given game. But the manner in which Buffalo beat the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions wasn't what was expected. Alex Lyon made 32 saves and Josh Doan scored twice to lead the Sabres to a 3-0 shutout victory.
What made Ruff proud, however, was how his team carried themselves. Each player left everything on the ice. They wanted to win the game, and the passion they displayed is what Ruff wants to see from his team more often.
“There was a lot of emotion in the game, a lot of passion,” Ruff said, via Buffalo beat reporter Tyler Millen. “For me, that’s Sabres hockey right there, passion. I thought there was passion tight from the start, killing the penalty right off the start, physicality. Every guy, I thought, had a good night for us.”
Lindy Ruff's Sabres set to meet proud Canadiens franchise
If there's anyone who knows what Sabres hockey is about, Ruff is the man. The veteran NHL bench boss spent 15 seasons behind Buffalo's bench from 1997 until 2013. He had stops with the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils before returning to the Sabres ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
He understands what passion can bring to a team like the Sabres. And that's what makes this upcoming clash interesting. The Canadiens are one of the most passionate teams in the league. Their history and pride are unmatched by the other 31 clubs. Montreal embodies a lot of what the Sabres hope to be — and they have an NHL-best 24 Stanley Cups to show for it.
The Canadiens are off to a much better start this year than Buffalo, entering Monday's game with a 4-2 record on the season. Still, this is going to be a fascinating matchup between two Atlantic Division rivals who wear their hearts on their sleeve on the ice.
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