The Buffalo Sabres visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Buffalo holds a slight edge in the standings with a 4-3 record, compared to Montreal’s even 3-3 mark. This suggests both teams are fairly evenly matched so far this season.
Looking at the betting odds, Montreal is favored at home with a moneyline of -142, meaning a $142 bet is needed to win $100. Buffalo is the underdog at +120, so a $100 bet would win $120 if they pull off the upset. The Canadiens also have a home spread of -1.5 at +170. This means Montreal needs to win by at least two goals for a bet on the Canadiens to pay off at those odds. Conversely, Buffalo is +1.5 on the road at -205, so bettors backing the Sabres with the puck are looking for them to either win outright or lose by just one goal.
The total is set at 6.5 goals, with even money on the over and under at -110. This suggests the sportsbook expects a moderately high-scoring game but sees the outcome as uncertain.
Given the close team records and the odds, Montreal is favored but not overwhelmingly so. Betting Buffalo with the +1.5 spread offers solid protection against a close loss, while taking Montreal on the moneyline requires confidence in a straight win. The total set at 6.5 goals is a balanced number for those who expect offense or defense to dominate. Overall, this looks like a competitive matchup with multiple betting angles to consider.