Dobes made 33 saves Thursday during the Canadiens' 6-3 win over the Sabres in Game 5 of their second-round series.
The Sabres came out of the first period with a 3-2 lead, finding the back of the net on three of their first four shots. Dobes shook off the rough start and stood on his head the rest of the way, including in a final frame that saw the visitors get outshot 20-3 as Buffalo desperately tried to get back into the game. Dobes has the Habs one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals, and the 24-year-old netminder will take a 2.28 GAA and .914 save percentage through 12 postseason contests into Game 6 on Saturday back in Montreal.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Expected to start in Game 5
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Dobes is expected to start on the road against Buffalo in Game 5 on Thursday, per Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Dobes stopped 19 of 22 shots en route to a 3-2 loss to the Sabres on Tuesday. He dropped to 6-5 with a 2.22 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 11 playoff outings this year. Buffalo will have the home-ice advantage, but that might not help the Sabres much. They're 2-3 while averaging just 2.40 goals per game in Buffalo during the 2026 playoffs.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Stuck with tough loss in Game 4
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Dobes stopped 19 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Sabres on Tuesday in Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs.
The Canadiens held a 2-1 lead after the first period, but the team cooled off offensively afterward. The final two goals against Dobes came on Buffalo power plays. The tying tally came on a Tage Thompson dump-in attempt that took a strange carom off the corner boards before bouncing in off the Montreal netminder's leg. Dobes has allowed more than three goals in a game only once in 11 playoff starts while posting a 2.22 GAA and .914 save percentage.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Set to start Game 4
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Dobes is expected to patrol the crease at home in Game 4 versus the Sabres on Tuesday, Stu Cowan of The Montreal Gazette reports.
Dobes has been solid in the postseason, going 6-4 with a 2.13 GAA and .918 save percentage in 10 contests. Considering the 24-year-old backstop has only given up more than two goals in one of his last six outings, there was little doubt he would remain in the crease for Game 4.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Stands tall in Game 3 win
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Dobes made 26 saves on 28 shots in Sunday's 6-2 win over the Sabres in Game 3.
Tage Thompson knocked a puck past Dobes just 53 seconds into the first period, but he shook it off and allowed only a power-play tally by Rasmus Dahlin the rest of the way as Montreal's offense took control. The 24-year-old netminder sports an impressive 2.13 GAA and .918 save percentage through his first 10 career playoff starts heading into Game 4 on Tuesday, as the Canadiens look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Defending home crease Sunday
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Dobes will patrol the home blue paint Sunday versus the Sabres in Game 3, according to Heather Engel of NHL.com.
Dobes rebounded in Game 2 after a poor showing in Game 1, as he turned aside 28 of 29 shots in Montreal's 5-1 win over Buffalo on Friday. The 24-year-old has alternated wins and losses through nine games in the 2026 postseason, going 5-4 with a 2.14 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Dobes has been especially good of late, conceding just one goal in three of his last four outings, and he will have the home crowd behind him Sunday.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Sharp in Game 2 win
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Dobes made 28 saves Friday in the Canadiens' 5-1 win over the Sabres in Game 2 of their second-round series.
After allowing four goals on just 16 shots in Game 1 of Round 2, Dobes bounced back with a superb performance. His shutout was spoiled late in the second period by Zach Benson in Friday's win. The 24-year-old Dobes has been one of the biggest surprises of the postseason so far, posting a 2.14 GAA and .917 save percentage through nine starts. Dobes will look to stay locked in as the series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Sunday.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Drawing start in Game 2
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Dobes will protect the road goal versus the Sabres in Game 2 on Friday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.
Dobes allowed four goals on 16 shots in a Game 1 loss Wednesday. While Dobes has maintained a steady role as the Canadiens' No. 1 netminder, he has yet to win consecutive games this postseason. On the flip side, he also hasn't lost two games in a row. He is 4-4 with a 2.28 GAA and a .910 save percentage over eight playoff outings.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Guarding goal in Game 1
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Dobes will protect the road goal in Game 1 versus the Sabres on Wednesday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.
Dobes got the Canadiens past the Lightning in the first round, going 4-3 with a 2.03 GAA and a .923 save percentage over seven games. The 24-year-old's strong play is impressive, and he'll now turn his attention to another inexperienced playoff team. Until he shows significant struggles, Dobes looks to have control of Montreal's crease.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Loses goaltending duel in Game 6
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Dobes stopped 32 shots Friday during the Canadiens' 1-0 overtime loss to the Lightning in Game 6 of their first-round series.
The 24-year-old was locked in a spectacular goaltending duel with Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy in regulation. However, Dobes couldn't get in front of Gage Goncalves' second-chance opportunity midway through the first extra frame. Dobes has yet to allow more than three goals in a playoff start, posting a sparkling 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage heading into a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Getting start in Game 6
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Dobes will protect the home goal versus the Lightning on Friday in Game 6, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Dobes is 3-2 in the first round, adding a 2.49 GAA and a .903 save percentage over five games. The 24-year-old hasn't won consecutive games in this series, but he'll try to change that Friday. If he's successful, the Canadiens will advance to the second round.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Notches third win Round 1
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Dobes made 38 saves in a 3-2 win against Tampa Bay on Wednesday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Once again, Dobes came up large when needed, and he has the Habs one win away from clinching the series. He's 3-2 with a 2.49 GAA and .903 save percentage this postseason. Dobes has been remarkable against the high-powered Bolts, considering his last postseason work came in the USHL playoffs in 2021 when he was with the Omaha Lancers.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Starting in Game 5
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Dobes will guard the road goal in Game 5 versus the Lightning on Wednesday, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Dobes let in three goals on 20 shots in Game 4 on Sunday, which was the first contest decided in regulation in this series. It was still a one-goal game, and if things remain close, the Canadiens will need Dobes to remain sharp. He has alternated wins and losses over the first four games of the series, allowing a total of 11 goals on 94 shots (.883 save percentage).
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Takes regulation loss Sunday
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Dobes allowed three goals on 20 shots in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 4.
Dobes wasn't able to fend off the Lightning's comeback effort, as Jake Guentzel scored late in the second period and Brandon Hagel tallied twice in the third. This was the first game decided in regulation in this first-round series. Dobes has allowed 11 goals on 94 shots (.883 save percentage) so far against the Lightning. He's been backed up by Jacob Fowler, but it's unclear if the Canadiens are considering a change between the pipes yet. Game 5 is on the road in Tampa on Wednesday.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Set to start in Game 4
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Dobes will patrol the home blue paint Sunday against the Lightning in Game 4, according to Eric Engels of Sportsnet.
Dobes and the Canadiens can take a commanding 3-1 series lead Sunday if they earn a win in their second home game of the 2026 postseason. The 24-year-old Dobes hasn't allowed more than three goals in a game during this series, going 2-1-0 with a 2.45 GAA and an .892 save percentage over three outings. The Lightning are making a few changes for Game 4, as Oliver Bjorkstrand and Max Crozier will draw into the lineup, while Scott Sabourin and Declan Carlile will serve as healthy scratches.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Continues to impress in playoffs
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Dobes made 31 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to Tampa Bay in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Tuesday.
Dobes has been excellent in the blue paint for Montreal, which returns to home ice for Game 3 on Friday. He made several 10-bell saves Tuesday, including a couple biggies in overtime. Dobes came into the postseason 5-0-0 with a 1.57 GAA and .955 save percentage in his final five regular-season starts. We're not jumping on the bandwagon yet, but the Canadiens do have a history of leaning on rookie netminders to win Cups. Ken Dryden won the Cup in 1971, and Patrick Roy won it in 1986.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Between pipes Tuesday
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Dobes will defend the road net in Game 2 against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Dobes is coming off a 20-save performance in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Lightning in Game 1. He posted a 2-1-0 record against Tampa Bay during the 2025-26 regular season while stopping 64 of 69 shots.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Some struggles in Game 1 OT loss
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Vasilevskiy made 15 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday.
Vasilevskiy allowed three power-play goals to Juraj Slafkovsky. The winner, which came off Slafkovsky's stick, found space glove-side inside the post. Vasilevskiy's angle was off on the shot; that's not something that happens often. He was outplayed by opposing goalie Jakub Dobes on Sunday. Vasilevskiy has struggled the last three postseasons, and the Bolts have seen Round 1 losses each of those years (once to the Maple Leafs, twice to the Panthers). The netminder had an exceptional regular season, but he still needs to exorcise his recent playoff demons.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Getting road start
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Dobes will be in goal Tuesday in Philadelphia, according to Patrick Friolet of RDS.
Dobes allowed at least three goals in three of his last four appearances, but he came out with a 3-1-0 record during that time. His seven-game winning streak was snapped Saturday, though, as he allowed five goals on 33 shots in a 5-2 home loss to Columbus. As far as Tuesday's game, the Flyers are on the second half of a back-to-back and will likely rest some of their regulars, while the Canadiens are playing for home ice in their first-round series against the Lightning.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Beaten five times Saturday
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Dobes stopped 28 of 33 shots in Saturday's loss to the Blue Jackets.
Dobes finally saw the end of his productive winning run with a subpar performance, although to be fair, some regression was coming after he had won each of his past seven starts while posting a 1.68 GAA and .948 save percentage in that span. Dobes should remain as the Canadiens' No. 1 goaltender in the final two games of the regular season, although it remains to be seen whether he'll start Sunday against the Islanders in the second leg of a back-to-back set.
