The Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators' rivalry has been brewing for years, and this will be the most important game of that stretch. There are four games remaining in each of their seasons, and the Habs are three points back of the first wild card. The Senators can all but clinch the first wild card with a victory in this game, while the Canadiens can clinch a playoff spot with a win and significantly increase their chances of passing Ottawa.
The situation for both teams is starting to become clear, and it's a welcome sight for hockey fans. The Toronto Maple Leafs are close to earning that first-place spot in the Atlantic Division, which will set them up to play the first wild card. Either way, there's a great chance we get either the Battle of Ontario or a classic Canadiens-Leafs first-round series. Couple that with the Battle of Florida as the other Atlantic Division matchup and the first-round will be must-watch.
How to Watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: Canadian Tire Center
How to Watch: Sportsnet, RDS, FuboTV
Canadiens fans are waiting with bated breaths for the debut of Ivan Demidov. However, they will have to wait until at least Monday when they face the Chicago Blackhawks. It'd have been quite the story if he started his NHL career on Hockey Night in Canada against the Maple Leafs, but it's probably a good idea to shelter him from that kind of pressure. Demidov hopes that by the time he debuts on Monday, the Canadiens will have clinched their spot in the postseason.
It'll be an exciting weekend for the Canadiens with back-to-back games against the Senators and Leafs. The regular season standings will come down to the final couple of days, and Montreal has a chance to control their own destiny. The issue for the Canadiens is they might rather face the Washington Capitals in the first round and stay out of the gauntlet that is forming in the Atlantic Division playoffs, but that's the less-exciting option for fans.