Despite last night’s loss to Patrick Roy’s Islanders, there are reasons to be optimistic for the Montreal Canadiens.

First of all, let’s still acknowledge that the Habs picked up a very important point by coming from behind and forcing the game into overtime.

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Next, all of Montreal’s other competitors in the Eastern playoff race (except, of course, the New York Islanders) lost their games.

The Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Florida Panthers.

The New York Rangers lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Ottawa Senators lost to the Colorado Avalanche.

By earning a point, Martin St-Louis’ squad is in an even better position than they were yesterday morning in this playoff race.

Let’s focus on the positives!

Playoffs: The Canadiens close the gap with the Ottawa Senators in the standings, while distancing themselves from the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets

These are definitely very good news!

 

 

 

In other words, following last night’s NHL games, including the Habs’ matchup, the Montreal Canadiens have improved their chances of making the playoffs.

We love to see it!

Despite the Montreal Canadiens’ 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on March 20, 2025, there are positive takeaways for the team. The Canadiens’ resilience was evident as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to force overtime, earning a valuable point in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. This point keeps them ahead of the Islanders by two points, maintaining their position in the playoff standings.

Reuters

Additionally, the Canadiens’ top line has been performing exceptionally well. Since March 1, the trio has maintained an expected goals-for percentage at 5-on-5 of 53.26%. This statistic highlights their effectiveness and chemistry on the ice, which bodes well for the team’s offensive capabilities as they approach the playoffs.

Daily Faceoff

Furthermore, Canadiens’ general manager Kent Hughes expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly regarding trade deadline decisions. He noted that the organization was comfortable retaining certain players, believing in the current roster’s potential to succeed.

The Hockey Writers

These developments provide optimism for the Canadiens and their fans, indicating that the team is on a promising path despite the recent setback.

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