Alex Tuch’s ‘outworked’ truth bomb after Game 5 Canadiens loss

The Buffalo Sabres have their backs against the wall against the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Montreal defeated the Sabres in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead in round two. Alex Tuch and his teammates need a win in Game 6 if they want to continue their season.

However, if they perform as they did in Game 5, this will be difficult to obtain. Buffalo began the game quite well, taking a 3-2 lead into the locker room. However, they squandered their lead in the second period. And as Tuch put it, they simply didn’t work as hard as the Habs.

“They pushed harder than we did,” Tuch said after Game 5, via NHL.com. “We gave them opportunities and chances, and on ours we didn’t bear down, and not the best puck play by us. And, yeah, we got outworked.”

Tuch is one player the Sabres need more from in this series. After a stellar performance in round one, the veteran winger has failed to record a point against the Canadiens. In Game 5, he saw his ice time reduced by around four total minutes from the previous three games.

Another troubling trend is second-period breakdowns. In Game 3, the Sabres and Habs were tied heading into the middle frame. However, Buffalo allowed three goals in the second, eventually losing 6-2. On Thursday, this trend played itself out once again.

Tuch and the Sabres have the talent to make something happen. But their margin for error is at absolute zero. They need their best game of the season on Saturday night for Game 6 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

The post Alex Tuch’s ‘outworked’ truth bomb after Game 5 Canadiens loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.