Russian forward Ivan Demidov continues to contribute for the Montreal Canadiens in the 2025-2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording his second point of the postseason in a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in Game 1 of their second-round series.
The play occurred when Demidov set up Canadian forward Nick Suzuki for a goal, earning an assist on the play. Despite the individual contribution, the Canadiens were unable to overcome the Sabres and now face an early deficit in the best-of-seven matchup.
This marks Demidov's second assist of the current playoff run. He has yet to score a goal but has been a consistent presence in the lineup, appearing in all eight of Montreal's postseason contests. His first point came during the opening round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he registered one assist across seven games as the Canadiens advanced.
The Canadiens entered the second round with momentum after their first-round victory, but the Sabres proved to be a tough challenge in the series opener. Montreal will look to even the series in Game 2, hoping for more offensive production from players like Demidov.
Demidov's role has grown throughout the playoffs, with the young Russian forward earning trust from the coaching staff in key situations. His ability to create scoring chances for teammates has been valuable, even as he searches for his first goal of the postseason.
The loss puts immediate pressure on the Canadiens, who cannot afford to fall behind 0-2 in the series. Buffalo's home-ice advantage proved decisive in the opener, and Montreal will need to find ways to generate more offense in the upcoming games.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.