The Montreal Canadiens weren't looking good as they entered Sunday afternoon's matchup with the Florida Panthers. The Habs had lost all three games on their road trip, and facing the defending Stanley Cup Champions wouldn't make it any easier to secure a victory. The standings were starting to shrink in favor of the rest of the teams chasing the Canadiens, and they were mostly lucky that every other team also had a rough week.
Nevertheless, the Canadiens persevered in Sunday's game and stole their third consecutive victory over the Panthers this season. They won't get much time to appreciate the win, as the Panthers will be waiting for them at the Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Montreal took care of the difficult leg of the back-to-back on the road, and they hope returning home for the first time in over a week will be the boost they need to win their second straight.
How to Watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: Bell Centre
How to Watch: TSN2, RDS, Scripps, FuboTV
If returning home isn't enough of a boost, they might find motivation in the events at the end of Sunday's game. Niko Mikkola took a slapshot towards the Canadiens end as time expired, which didn't go over well with Brendan Gallagher or Jayden Struble, who tried to confront Mikkola on the ice. The officials did a good job of getting Mikkola out of harm's way, but there could be some retribution waiting for him on Tuesday.
The Canadiens are back in the second wild card with 77 points. They have a game in hand over the New York Rangers, who also have 77 points. However, the worry is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are just two points behind the Canadiens with two games in hand. The Blue Jackets play the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night, which means a Canadiens loss and a Blue Jackets win will greatly swing the trajectory of the playoff race. Being in a tie with Columbus with two fewer games to play won't be a good sign for Montreal's playoff chances.