The Montreal Canadiens are playoff-bound again.
Montreal clinched its spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs Sunday afternoon after the Detroit Red Wings fell 5-4 to the Minnesota Wild, making the Canadiens the first Canadian NHL team to secure a post-season berth.
It marks a second straight appearance after the Canadiens snapped a three-year drought last spring, following a full-scale rebuild. They claimed the final spot in the Eastern Conference before falling to the Washington Capitals in five games in the first round.
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This time, they’re not just squeaking in.
Montreal (45-21-10) has punched its ticket with six games to spare in the regular season and sits second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points, firmly in the mix for home-ice advantage heading into Sunday night’s matchup with the New Jersey Devils.
The Canadiens — with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson leading a young, talented core — are also riding an eight-game winning streak.