Habs clash with Canes, with Stanley Cup playoff berth on the line

If you want to watch hockey with a playoff 'feel', then the game between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night should be in your 'wheelhouse'.

Montreal needs one point to clinch a playoff spot, and they had to keep things interesting leaving until game No. 82 to determine whether they'll season will continue into the playoffs or not.

Just a few weeks ago, they had a comfortable eight-point lead in the Wildcard two position, but that has since dwindled away, leaving the team scrambling to collect a win, because relying on teams to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets just isn't working.

This is a scenario where doing it yourself will produce the best results, straying from relying on another team to help. But the rough, tough love approach is what will serve the team best, should they book their ticket.

Being in the mix is a big deal, and when the schedule turns to the playoff action, all the teams are back at square one. The regular season means very little if you get smacked in the mouth by a wildcard team, and you're one of the top seeds.

It's the NHL, and the parity in the league is what makes each game watchable, because any team can win on any given night.

And upsets are a thing that happen an awful lot more than we think, so just squeezing in could be looked at in a negative way or a positive way. The CH are going to stay positive and make the biggest push of the season Wednesday night.

Because, let's be real, we all want to watch No. 93 in the playoffs, when he gets let loose by Martin St. Louis.

Onto the game

Between the pipes, the nod goes to Samuel Montembeault, unsurprisingly, as he will get a chance to redeem himself and get back into the win column.

The entire cast that Martin St. Louis leans on for offence will have to be better against the Hurricanes, and that is a message that needs to be clear throughout the dressing room. These slow, sloppy starts aren't going to do it, and it's easy to fall easy in games and series if you start late, and never play with a lead.

Lets see what the Habs do differently with everything on the line.

Lets go.

First Period

Laine had a nice chance, and Demidov was lurking in the weeds but Pyotr Kochetkov swallowed up the puck.

Carolina’s announcer praised Nick Suzuki’s play - the explosion offensively since the 4 Nations - and the Habs need a big night from him.

Kaiden Guhle cleaned up a potential disaster that was developing, swooping in and collecting the loose change.

No. 21 circled back and Slafkovsky found him wide open on the right half-wall, and he made no mistake firing a howitzer over Kochetkov’s shoulder. 

1-0 Montreal, we can all breathe (assists to Suzuki, and Slafkovsky)

Taylor Hall and Andrei Svechnikov barrelled into the CH zone, and Hallnfired home a feed from No. 37 to tie the game.

Skyler Brind’Amour is off to the penalty box for hooking. 

Habs are off to the power play, and I can’t help but wanting Demidov out there. Just make the move. 

Now the CH are off to five on three, after Tyson Jost played the puck with his hand off the faceoff. It’s done with intent, not accidentally, but no penalty.

1:01 rests on the pp.

Mike Matheson hurts my head, overcomplicates everything. No. 93 is out there, and the puck isn’t reaching him.

Time to move Demidov up to pp1, no questions asked.

Suzuki got a great feed from Caufield in the right low slot, but whiffed on the shot.

Gallagher made a nice pass to Anderson, who missed the connection, and the puck was swiftly transported out of the zone by a Canes defender.

4:20 on the clock, and the Habs lead in shots 7-4, but the game is tied.

Montreal put together a nine shot, seven hit first period.

Second Period

Back and forth affair early, but nothing big opened up for either side.

14:44 rests on the clock, and Carolina is off to the box for delay of game.

Habs pp.

1-1 after two minutes on the man advantage.

Kochetkov has been brilliant, and Demidov has made him stay honest.

Carrier (MTL) spotted Suzuki wide open on the left half-wall, and he crept into the inside of the faceoff dot and fired a wrister past Kochetkov. 2-1 Habs.

The assists on the tally went to Slafkovsky (33rd assist, and 51st point - establishing a new career high).

And not longer after, the CH pounced on the Canes in their zone, and Guhle fired another one by Kochetkov. 

Assists go to Caufield (point no. ) and Hutson (assist no, and point no. )

Montreal is in the driver’s seat, but they can’t let up.

3-1 after forty.

Third Period

It was scrambly, and the Habs defended well to start.

But with 5:50 on the clock, the Canes struck. Making things tense for the Habs.

Montembeault has been solid, but needs to lock it in here through the final five minutes. 

Carolina is pushing hard, no Demidov out there, when a big goal would be seismic for the Habs.

With Carolina’s net empty, Montreal is up by two with 1:51 to go. 

Jake Evans fired the puck into the empty net and secured the Habs' ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

4-2 Habs win.