The Montreal Canadiens received mixed news in their playoff chase as recent results across the league altered the Eastern Conference landscape. On one hand, key rivals like the Islanders made a compelling push, securing important points to strengthen their grip on a precious playoff spot.

Meanwhile, Detroit’s uninspiring stretch of uneven performances opened the door for the Canadiens to potentially gain ground on one of the teams above them in the standings. However, New York’s other franchise, the Rangers, also surged in recent matchups, leapfrogging rival teams and creating another obstacle for Montreal’s postseason aspirations.

With injuries continuing to hamper the Canadiens’ lineup, every game has taken on the magnitude of a must-win scenario. Additionally, the compressed schedule that results from pandemic-related postponements increases the stakes for providing consistent efforts night in and night out. Despite the uncertainty, fans have found reasons for optimism.

Emerging players have stepped up to deliver timely goals and help sustain the team’s morale. Nonetheless, the Canadiens must rely on a mixture of veteran leadership, improved special teams play, and strong goaltending if they hope to stay afloat. As competition intensifies, Montreal’s focus now turns to capitalizing on every available opportunity to remain in playoff contention.

We had an important day for the Montreal Canadiens organization yesterday, even though the team had the day off.

There were a few changes in the playoff race, we received some great news, but also some not-so-good news.

Let’s dive in.

It started off poorly, as early in the afternoon, the powerhouse Vegas Golden Knights were stunned with a 3-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, who are creeping closer to the Montreal Canadiens.

Then, Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers gave the Habs a huge helping hand by defeating the New York Rangers 3-1.

That one was really important for the Habs.

A surprising victory for Patrick Roy and the New York Islanders

Still within this incredible Eastern Conference playoff race, Patrick Roy’s squad pulled off a shocker with a huge comeback win against the Florida Panthers, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, by a score of 4-2.

Even better.

The Islanders were trailing 2-0 in the third period but scored four unanswered goals.

That’s huge for them to stay “in the mix” for the playoffs.

Here’s the current playoff picture as of today:

New York Rangers (IN PLAYOFFS) – 72 points in 68 games

Montreal Canadiens (Out of Playoffs) – 71 points in 66 games

Columbus Blue Jackets (Out of Playoffs) – 70 points in 66 games

Detroit Red Wings (Out of Playoffs) – 70 points in 67 games

New York Islanders (Out of Playoffs) – 68 points in 66 games

The Habs are just one point away from a playoff spot, with two games in hand over the New York Rangers.

This is a golden opportunity for Martin St-Louis’ squad to make the playoffs!

The end of the season is shaping up to be exciting!