The Montreal Canadiens fell in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final and had to watch as the Tampa Bay Lightning hoisted the trophy for the second consecutive season.
It was obviously not the ending that anyone on the team wanted and the looks on the faces of the players after the final horn sounded was painful enough for the viewers to experience.
However, it was an incredible ride.
The Canadiens were not expected to go deep into the postseason, and at some points this year didn’t look like they were going to hang on to that final playoff spot in the North Division. They did manage to squeeze into the postseason but drew the underdog card in all four rounds. Upsetting the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights was no small feat.
The Habs fell behind 3-1 in the first round against the Maple Leafs and losing to their oldest rival appeared to be inevitable.
But they were able to storm back and win that series before dominating the Jets and then making a huge statement to the entire hockey world by shocking the Golden Knights in round three.
Yes, the Canadiens would fall in a short series in the Stanley Cup Final. But that doesn’t mean it was a bad year or a waste of a season. In fact, it was the best season the Canadiens have had in 28 years and it produced a lot of special, memorable moments.
Many moments that will live in the minds of a generation of Habs fans that don’t recall the “usual route” for the Stanley Cup parade in the 1970s.
Let’s take a quick look back at the top five moments in the Montreal Canadiens run to the Stanley Cup Final.