OTTAWA — The Montreal Canadiens have been playing some of their best hockey in recent weeks, but they came up short with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.
Montreal (39-31-9) failed to rise to the occasion and let a prime opportunity slip through its grasp with a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Friday.
The Canadiens, who hold the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, needed a regulation win to secure their spot. They'll have another chance to punch their ticket Saturday night when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs.
There was no hiding the team’s disappointment after the game, but the group also recognized the need to put the loss behind them quickly.
“I think we’re a pretty resilient group,” said defenceman Lane Hutson. “Whenever we have a night like this we know we can’t dwell on it and we just gotta be ready to go the next night.”
The Canadiens entered the game riding a six-game win streak thanks to their play of late, but a slow start Friday proved too much to overcome.
Montreal has made a habit of overcoming slow starts with impressive comeback wins — but things didn’t play out that way this time.
“We’ve got to dial in our starts and start on time,” said winger Cole Caufield. “We can’t always come back all the time. It’s not the panic button, but it’s for sure something we need to look at ourselves in the mirror and face head-on.”
Head coach Martin St. Louis was at a bit of a loss for words while trying to explain his team’s lack of urgency despite trying to land a playoff spot for the first time since 2021.
Montreal found itself trailing by two goals before the game was even five minutes old.
St. Louis couldn’t help but wonder if the team’s comeback success in previous games had dulled its sense of urgency when it mattered most.
“You roll the dice when you think that way,” he said.
Like his players, St. Louis spoke about the importance of learning from their mistakes and looking forward to the opportunity that lies ahead against Toronto.
“I feel they respond,” he said. “These guys have responded all year. I think they’re a proud group.”
Three games remain in the regular season and the Columbus Blue Jackets are still within reach, trailing the Canadiens by six points with one game in hand. The New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders are also still alive.
The Blue Jackets (36-33-9) host the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon, and the result could have huge implications for the Canadiens.
While Montreal would welcome a little help, the team has full confidence in its ability to take care of things on its own.
“We’ve got another great opportunity (Saturday) against another rival,” said defenceman Kaiden Guhle. “I think we’ll be just fine.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2025.
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press
