Alex Newhook steps up for Canadiens with a pair of goals in Montreal’s Game 2 victory

BUFFALO — Alex Newhook belted out the starting lineup with an intensity the moment required.

After firing up his teammates in Montreal’s locker moments before hitting the ice, he then helped spark a much-needed victory.

Newhook scored early in the first period and added another in the second Friday as the Canadiens topped the Buffalo Sabres 5-1 to even their best-of-seven playoff series 1-1.

“We knew we needed a big effort … a bounce-forward game,” he said. “When you get the lineup read, you just try to supply some energy there early and just try and carry that.”

The forward from St. John’s, N.L., did exactly that by getting the Canadiens going 96 seconds after puck drop when he tipped Kaiden Guhle’s effort past Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon on the game’s first shot.

And after Montreal killed off a Buffalo power play with the score 2-0 in the middle period, he raced the other way on a 2-on-2 and used his speed to pull away from a defender before tapping home a Jake Evans pass to give the visitors some breathing room.

“We have the ability to produce throughout our lineup,” Newhook added. “It’s important down the stretch and in all the series.”

Montreal fell 4-2 in Wednesday’s second-round opener at KeyBank Center on a night nothing like the grinding, seven-game victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning that featured little room to operate in the opening round.

“Throughout the playoffs, you need depth scoring, you need depth in general to play well,” Newhook said. “Usually our top line (goes) against their best checkers. Sometimes you need other lines to produce. We’ve had that throughout the first round and then throughout the second round so far.”

The 25-year-old was limited to 42 games in the regular season after breaking his ankle in November. He returned to the lineup following the NHL’s Olympic break, finishing with 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 2025-26.

Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis mixed up his lines late in the Tampa series, landing on a trio consisting of Newhook, Evans and Ivan Demidov as a new second unit.

“I thought he was great right from the start,” Montreal captain Nick Suzuki said of Newhook. “After that (first) goal just continued to dominate the whole game … big on the (penalty kill), their line generated a lot 5-on-5 as well.

“Big effort from those guys.”

Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who along with Suzuki and Cole Caufield make up a top line that’s been unable to break through at 5-on-5 through 120 minutes in the series, said a player with Newhook’s ability can make a difference in a matchup featuring small margins.

“He brings so much speed, it’s really hard to defend,” Slafkovsky said. “He just used his wheels, got behind the behind the D, and Jake made a great pass (on Montreal’s third goal).

“He’s a real good, two-way player.”

Evans didn’t expect much to materialize on Newhook’s second until his linemate turned on the jets.

“I just saw him flying up there,” said the centre. “I don’t think their (defenceman) thought that he’d even get there.”

Canadiens defenceman Alexandre Carrier, who made it 4-1 less than four minutes into the third after Sabres centre Tage Thompson blew a tire, said Newhook is giving off a different vibe in the playoffs after also bagging the series-clinching goal against Tampa.

“He looks hungry, he looks determined,” said the blueliner. “He’s doing it all … credit to him.”

Newhook will look to deliver the same energy — before and during the action — when the series shifts to the Bell Centre for Game 3 on Sunday night.

“We were able to roll through our lines,” he said. “And deliver a pretty solid effort.”

POWER OUTAGE

After connecting twice in Game 1, the Sabres’ power play went 0-for-5 to fall to 3-for-32 in the post-season.

“Just try to forget about it as quick as possible,” Thompson said of Buffalo’s overall approach before boarding a flight Saturday. “When you look at the big picture, we’re 1-1 going into Montreal. Not a horrible place to be by any means.”

“We got some things we got to talk about,” added captain Rasmus Dahlin. “This one was unacceptable.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press