MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens have performed loads of vital video games during the last two months.
The stress to carry out will hit a brand new degree Wednesday evening.
The Canadiens host the Carolina Hurricanes with an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on the road for a fourth consecutive recreation.
“I don’t miss taking part in hockey,” stated head coach Martin St. Louis, a former Corridor-of-Fame participant. “However video games like at present make me miss the sport.”
The excessive stakes even impacted the federal election marketing campaign.
The French-language debate will happen two hours sooner than initially deliberate Wednesday to reduce a battle.
“It’s fairly loopy,” stated defenceman Kaiden Guhle. “Really feel like that’s on par for the province. When the Habs are in a giant recreation, it’s the entire province, a whole lot of the nation sort of will get behind it.”
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Montreal’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday — one other clinching situation — drew a mean viewership of almost 1.2 million on RDS, making it the French TV station’s most-watched regular-season contest since 2014.
“We’re all conscious of the magnitude of the sport,” stated fellow blueliner Alexandre Provider. “We all know how passionate the followers are and the way a lot they need the playoffs, identical to us.
“It’s as much as us to present them that chance.”
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The Canadiens (39-31-11, 89 factors) want no less than one level to safe the second wild-card berth within the Japanese Convention.
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In the event that they lose, their destiny rests within the arms of the trailing Columbus Blue Jackets. Montreal would nonetheless qualify for the post-season if Columbus (39-33-9, 87 factors) fails to win its residence matchup Thursday towards the New York Islanders in regulation.
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The Canadiens, nonetheless, are treating Wednesday’s contest as a must-win as a result of the Blue Jackets are on a roll with victories in 5 straight video games.
“Do or die state of affairs, bought the possibility to clinch in Sport 82,” Guhle stated. “It’ll be enjoyable. It’s why you play the sport.
“You’re going to recollect this recreation for the remainder of your life.”
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Per week in the past, Montreal was on a six-game successful streak, comfortably within the driver’s seat with an eight-point benefit over the Blue Jackets with yet another recreation performed.
Since then, the Canadiens have missed alternatives to punch a ticket to the playoffs 3 times, dropping in regulation to the Ottawa Senators earlier than falling in extra time to the Toronto Maple Leafs and dropping their newest matchup towards Chicago, the second-worst workforce this season.
“We’ve had a whole lot of alternatives to clinch, and that possibly held us again a bit and made us somewhat bit foggy in sure areas of the sport,” Guhle stated. “Get again to the fundamentals, go play hockey, play as a workforce, do what we’ve been doing all yr.
“I don’t have a lot doubt in my thoughts that we’re going to have our A recreation tonight.”
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The Canadiens are taking over a Hurricanes “B” squad with regulars Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Jalen Chatfield, Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Martinook and Jackson Blake all resting for playoff-bound Carolina.
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In the meantime, Montreal is making a delicate change to its lineup as winger Emil Heineman enters the fray to switch Oliver Kapanen on the fourth line. High prospect Ivan Demidov will characteristic on a line with Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine.
The Canadiens’ slide coincides with the fan base’s craze over Demidov, a 19-year-old Russian who had a purpose and an help in an exhilarating NHL debut towards the Blackhawks.
Guhle, who took a pricey interference penalty after Demidov helped the Canadiens take a 2-0 first-period lead towards Chicago, acknowledged that the Russian’s latest arrival led to some overexcitement.
“It’s not a distraction, simply sort of pleasure,” he stated. “You are feeling the excitement across the metropolis, if there wasn’t buzz already with us having an opportunity to clinch, there was extra now with him coming in.
“I bought somewhat bit too excited at instances in that recreation. And even at present, I needed to go on the ice as a result of I used to be so jacked up this morning.”
St. Louis, a 2004 Stanley Cup champion with a great deal of big-game expertise, had one last message for his workforce.
“You don’t get do-overs, so you possibly can’t depart this recreation with any regrets,” he stated. “It’s not about being excellent, it’s about laying it on the road, doing the issues that the sport wants you to do, and I don’t know what that’s going to be at what time.
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“You allow it on the market.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
