The Montreal Canadiens are still not guaranteed a playoff spot.
The Canadiens were denied a chance to clinch the final spot in the Eastern Conference after the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Montreal (89 points) can still secure a spot with at least one point in Wednesday’s season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Canadiens lose to the Hurricanes in regulation, the Blue Jackets (87 points) will have a chance to surpass them for the final spot with another regulation win on Thursday against the New York Islanders.
The first tiebreaker is regulation wins, and the second tiebreaker is regulation + overtime wins. The Blue Jackets would have the first tiebreaker if they beat the Islanders in regulation and the Canadiens don’t get another point by a 30-29 margin. But if the two teams are tied in points and regulation wins, the Canadiens would get the final spot, thanks to a lead in the second tiebreaker — regulation + overtime wins — by a 37-33 margin.
You can watch the Canadiens take on the Hurricanes on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT.
- The Montreal Canadiens need one point in their final game of the season to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Watch the Canadiens face the Carolina Hurricanes on Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT.
- Broadcast schedule
Jet Greaves made 29 saves for his second shutout in his past three games, Dante Fabbro, Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli each scored a goal for the Blue jackets in the win.
Greaves continued to backstop the Blue Jackets to their fifth straight win and an unexpected late-season push for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Fabbro broke a scoreless tie with a one-timer from the top of the right circle, 2:32 into the second period.
Johnson scored his 24th goal of the season on the power play later in the second period and Fantilli scored his fifth goal in the past three games in the third period for his first career 30-goal season.
Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan each had a pair of assists for the Blue Jackets. With those assists, Werenski reached 80 points in a season for the first time in his career.
Sam Ersson made 31 saves for the Flyers.
With files from The Associated Press.
