Jakub Dobeš made history with the Canadiens at the playoffs on Monday. The young goaltender was a wall, helping Montreal survive Buffalo's onslaught in an intense Game 7 at the KeyBank Center.

Dobeš stopped 37 shots as the Canadiens defeated the Sabres 3-2 in overtime and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The win also placed him in rare NHL company, as he became just the second rookie goaltender in league history, after Montreal's own Ken Dryden, to record multiple Game 7 wins on the road.

After the win, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman lauded Dobeš’s performance and the way he handled one of the biggest games in Montreal’s season. The 24-year-old's heroics defined the outcome of the game.

Friedman reflected on the intensity of the series during NHL Network coverage. 

“One of the things we talked about was there hadn’t been a lot of games where both teams had been competitive together," he told Sportsnet. "We got a great Game 7, a real gift, a great hockey game.”

He then highlighted Jakub Dobeš ’s confidence after the game. The journalist praised him for handling the pressure and staying sharp against Buffalo's offensive wave at home.

“I loved Dobeš’s postgame interview with Kyle, where he said, ‘I could have played 40 more, I wasn’t tired,’” he stated.

The 24-year-old Czech has become one of Montreal’s most important players during this playoff run. After weathering some setbacks earlier in the series, including Game 6 when Buffalo scored seven unanswered goals, Dobeš responded with one of his best performances.

Reflecting on his night, Friedman credited Dobeš for singlehandedly keeping Montreal steady and competitive. He was also impressed by his tenacity throughout a string of tense playoff matches.

"He held them in this game. I think a lot of us wondered if 14 high-intensity games had gotten to him," Friedman stated. "He was the difference tonight. Buffalo was the better team, Dobeš held them until Newhook found a way."

Fellow host David Amber concurred with Friedman, recounting the goaltender's virtuoso displays against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. The Canadiens were outshot 29-9 in Game 7, but their young goalie held it down.

For Canadiens fans, Dobeš's performance capped off a nail-biting series that went down to the wire.

Canadiens survive a dramatic Game 7

The Canadiens eventually escaped with a 3-2 overtime win in Buffalo.

Montreal snapped early with first-period goals from forward Phillip Danault and winger Zachary Bolduc. Their forecheck forced Buffalo into making errors.

But the home team slowly gained control in the middle part of the game. The Sabres spent a lot of time in Montreal’s zone, which forced Dobeš to make important saves while the Canadiens scrambled to defend.

Forward Jordan Greenway led Buffalo's charge, and captain Rasmus Dahlin tied it later in the third period. The Sabres were picking up momentum and had entered Game 7 after their 8-3 win at the Bell Center. As pressure was mounting on Montreal, center Alex Newhook came through once again with an overtime winner.

Newhook scored at 11:22 to send his team into the Eastern Conference Finals, their first since 2021. They will face the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Aadhya Nalla

Edited by

Sijo Paul