MONTREAL — Kaiden Guhle watched with tremendous stress as the Columbus Blue Jackets rolled to yet another victory Tuesday night.
The Montreal defenceman woke up the next day determined not to let them control the Canadiens' destiny.
Guhle scored twice to lift the Canadiens into the post-season on their fourth attempt to clinch, as Montreal prevailed 4-2 over the Carolina Hurricanes in their regular-season finale Wednesday night.
"It makes it feel better,” Guhle said, relieved after the Canadiens almost let their opportunity slip away. “You go through so many challenges in a year and so many ups and downs, when you come out on top, you feel like you accomplish more.”
The Canadiens, who claimed the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, enter the post-season for the first time since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2021. They’ll meet the top-seeded Washington Capitals in a first-round series.
A week ago, the playoff berth looked like a near foregone conclusion. That changed when Montreal failed to clinch on three consecutive occasions, with losses to Ottawa, Toronto and Chicago before Wednesday’s triumph.
The Canadiens needed at least one point to eliminate the Blue Jackets, who caught fire with a five-game win streak to keep the playoff race alive while Montreal faltered to the brink of collapse.
With a regulation loss Wednesday — a game expected to draw so many viewers that the French-language election debate needed to be rescheduled two hours earlier — the Canadiens would've had to watch Columbus determine their playoff fate Thursday against the New York Islanders.
Veteran forward Brendan Gallagher, playing his 13th season in Montreal, insists his group’s belief never wavered.
“We controlled our destiny, right? We didn't have to look for help,” he said. “Columbus was playing their best hockey of the year. There's no doubt in our minds that they were going to keep winning.
“We knew what we had to do, and yeah, it got more difficult as it went. But at no point were we not in control.”
The playoff appearance marks a turning point for the organization, which began what many called the first rebuild in the Canadiens’ storied history after a disastrous start to the 2021-22 season.
Four years later, they’re back.
“We've had some hard days,” said captain Nick Suzuki after contributing a goal and an assist Wednesday. “For our group to come together like this season and put together this effort to make the playoffs, when a lot of people doubted us, I'm very impressed and proud of the guys in the room."
The Canadiens were not a popular pick to make the playoffs at the beginning of the season. Even management stopped short of using that word when training camp opened, preferring instead to say their goal was to be “in the mix.”
The doubters looked right Dec. 1 when Montreal ranked 31st in the league 24 games into the season.
An impressive run through the holidays put them back in the hunt. But a dip before the 4 Nations break in February pushed Montreal back six points outside the playoff picture.
After that, the Canadiens went 15-5-6 — the fifth-best record in the NHL during that stretch — to climb the standings in a complete effort led by Suzuki, rookie sensation Lane Hutson and netminder Sam Montembeault.
Head coach Martin St. Louis said he’s worn two ties since the 4 Nations break, rotating only after a regulation loss.
“So I didn't switch ties too often,” he said. “Coming off the break, I think we had a two per cent chance of making the playoffs.
“For me, a two per cent chance, you still have a chance."
Wednesday’s game still had anxious moments for the Canadiens. Suzuki and Guhle provided some comfort with back-to-back goals late in the second period to take a 3-1 lead.
Then the “Olé, Olé,” chants were quieted in the third period when Tyson Jost cut the advantage to 3-2 with 5:50 remaining, but the Bell Centre — and St. Louis — breathed a big sigh of relief when Jake Evans scored an empty-net goal with two minutes left.
St. Louis said his dad, a massive Montreal fan who taught him to love the Canadiens as little boy, came to mind in that moment.
“As soon as I got the chance, I went to see my dad in the family lounge,” St. Louis said. “Gave him a big hug. I think he was more stressed than our players this past week.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2025.
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
