Zach Benson surprises Canadiens fans with unexpected move in handshake line after Game 7 loss

The Canadiens-Sabres handshake line is going viral because it flipped the tone of a nasty, tight series in one quick exchange.

Buffalo lost Game 7 in overtime, 3-2, but Benson didn't skate through the line like a frustrated young winger looking to disappear.

He stopped, leaned in, and gave several Canadiens players the kind of respect that lands harder after seven games of noise.

Benson wasn't some quiet passenger in the series. He had 5 goals, 9 points, and 64 penalty minutes in 13 playoff games.

For Montreal, the moment worked as a locker-room tell. St-Louis' group survived Buffalo, then answered with restraint instead of a victory lap.

The clip shows Benson slowing down in the handshake line, making direct contact, and staying engaged instead of rushing past Montreal sweaters.

That's why the Canadiens' own message landed cleanly:

Buffalo finished the season at 50-23-9 with 109 points, so this wasn't a soft opponent Montreal brushed aside.

The Canadiens went 48-24-10, and their next test against Carolina demands the same emotional control.

Benson also did himself a favor. A winger who can irritate, produce, and still show class after elimination gives Lindy Ruff something real to build around.

This wasn't just a handshake. It was a small playoff image with a bigger message: Montreal advanced, Buffalo earned respect, and Benson didn't shrink after the loss.

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