Jakub Dobes Is 4-0 After a Loss in the 2026 Playoffs — and That's Why Montreal Is Dangerous

As Daily Faceoff reported, Jakub Dobes has lost back-to-back regulation games exactly once in 2025-26. That's not a quirk — it's a pattern, and it now defines Montreal's postseason identity. The Canadiens took a 5-1 win in Game 2 at KeyBank Center on Friday, erasing the sting of a flat Game 1 performance and squaring their second-round series with Buffalo at one game apiece. Dobes stopped 27 of 28 shots, and the Habs head home to Bell Centre tied and with momentum.

The scoring came early and it came in bunches. Alex Newhook converted off a weak shot just minutes into the first period, and Mike Matheson — scoreless through the entire first round — added another before the frame was over. Newhook struck again five minutes into the second to effectively end the contest. Zach Benson provided Buffalo's only response, but Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki added insurance in the third, turning a competitive series game into a statement. Montreal didn't grind out a win — they dominated.

The engine underneath all of it is Dobes. During the regular season, he went 8-1-1 immediately following a regulation loss, posting a .928 save percentage in those games. That included a 6-0-0 run in October that helped establish the Canadiens as a legitimate team early. In the playoffs, the numbers escalate: 4-0, .948 save percentage, 110 saves on 116 shots in bounce-back starts. Six goals allowed total across four games after a loss. That's elite goaltending at the moment it matters most — when a series is teetering.

For bettors, the Dobes bounce-back trend isn't just narrative fuel — it has direct implications for Game 3 props. His save percentage in these revenge starts (.948 in the playoffs alone) suggests a strong lean toward the over on his saves total, which will likely be set in the 26-28 range given Montreal's home advantage and the expected tightening of the series. Buffalo's offense wasn't generating enough clean looks in Game 2 — just 28 shots — and Dobes was never truly tested. If the Sabres increase their volume at home in Game 3, which they almost certainly will, Dobes' saves prop becomes even more compelling given his historical performance under pressure.

The broader team-total angle also favors Montreal staying disciplined on the defensive end. The Canadiens are 4-0 after a loss this postseason — the best such record in the entire playoff field — and that speaks to a system that doesn't collapse after adversity. Buffalo now faces the pressure of falling behind in the series if they drop Game 3 at Bell Centre. Dobes doesn't need Montreal to outscore anyone by four goals every night. He just needs to be the last line of defense in a tight game, and his track record says he'll be exactly that.