Canadiens Fail to Clinch Playoff Spot

After 81 regular season games, life or death for the Montreal Canadiens could be determined in a single game, for a single point, against the worst team in the Eastern Conference.

The Habs were shut down 5-2 against the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday, leaving them still one point shy from clinching a playoff spot and setting the stage for a possible dramatic finale against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Saturday.

The teams already met in similar showdowns toward the end of the 2006 and 2007 seasons. The Leafs missed the playoffs in 2006 by two points after a pair of big losses to the Habs. In 2007, the Leafs returned the favour by knocking the Habs from the eighth and final playoff spot with a 6-5 come-from-behind win.

Of course, the Habs could also be bumped into the playoffs if the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Rangers on Friday, knocking them out of the running for the eighth and final spot in the East. In that event, the Habs would likely still need a win against the Leafs to secure sixth place.

Thursday's regulation loss to the Canes follows a shootout loss against the New York Islanders on Tuesday that left the team one point shy of clinching a playoff berth. With two big chances to extend the season, the team has been unable to get the job done. The fans in La Belle Ville must surely be reaching the breaking point by now.

Still, the two losses mean less than they appear to. In the first, the Habs faced a young team on fire and only lost by a hair. They were clearly deflated heading into Thursday's tilt with Carolina, and Eric Staal took advantage by netting a hat trick and assisting on the two other Carolina goals despite a decent showing by Jaroslav Halak.

If it comes down to a Saturday showdown with the Leafs, nothing's guaranteed. The Habs have only one clean win against their old rival so far in 2009-10, plus two overtime wins, one shootout win, and one shootout loss. Yes, any of those outcomes would earn them a playoff berth on Saturday, but a clean loss could kill them, and is not out of the question.