What happened: Buffalo enters Sunday night's Game 3 in Montreal with its second-round series against the Canadiens tied 1-1 after a 5-1 loss in Game 2. ESPN highlighted that the Sabres have won three straight postseason road games and own a plus-10 goal differential on the road this playoff run.

Why it matters: Game 3 gives one side control of a tight second-round series, and teams that take a 2-1 lead historically gain the upper hand in best-of-seven matchups. Buffalo's recent road form is a key counterweight after Montreal seized momentum in Game 2 and now returns home for the first game of the series at Bell Centre.

What to watch: Watch whether Buffalo's road surge carries over against a Canadiens team coming off a five-goal response in Game 2. The immediate swing factors are whether Montreal can build on its home-ice edge and whether Buffalo can reestablish the scoring pace it showed away from home earlier in the playoffs.