Updated 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket, Schedule and Top Highlights from May 10

The battle to join the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals of the 2026 NHL playoffs continued Sunday with a game in the East and a game in the West.

The Montreal Canadiens hosted the Buffalo Sabres for Game 3 in the East after they split the first two contests, while the Anaheim Ducks looked to tie things up with the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 out West after losing two of the first three.

Here is a look at how it all unfolded.

Sunday Results

• Eastern Conference Game 3: Montreal Canadiens 6, Buffalo Sabres 2 (Canadiens lead series, 2-1)
• Western Conference Game 4: Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks, 9:30 p.m. ET (Golden Knights lead series, 2-1)

Monday Schedule

• Western Conference Game 4: Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. ET (Avalanche lead series, 2-1)

Sunday Highlights

Canadiens 6, Sabres 2

Momentum is fully on the Canadiens' side in their second-round series against the Sabres.

After stealing home-ice advantage with a road win in Game 2, they kept it in resounding fashion with a 6-2 victory in Game 3. Buffalo actually scored first when Tage Thompson found the back of the net in the opening minute, but the contest quickly turned.

Montreal scored the next four goals with Alex Newhook, Cole Caufield, Zack Bolduc and Juraj Slafkovsky all connecting on chances. Rasmus Dahlin seized some momentum back late in the second period with a power-play goal to make it 4-2 to at least stop the slide for the visitors.

But that momentum was short-lived.

Kirby Dach scored in the third period to give Montreal some breathing room right back, which was more than enough with Jakub Dobes between the pipes. The goaltender stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced, and the game was never in doubt in the final minutes after Newhook buried another one.

The Canadiens will now have the chance to build a commanding 3-1 lead if they continue rolling on home ice in Tuesday's Game 4.