MONTREAL – Kaiden Guhle scored twice to raise the Montreal Canadiens into the playoffs with a vital 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes of their regular-season finale Wednesday night time.
Nick Suzuki — with an help — additionally scored whereas Jake Evans added an empty-net objective and Sam Montembeault made 28 saves for Montreal (40-31-11), which claimed the ultimate Jap Convention playoff spot.
The Canadiens enter the post-season for the primary time since reaching the Stanley Cup ultimate in 2021. They’ll meet the Washington Capitals in a first-round sequence.
Taylor Corridor, who additionally hit a put up late, and Tyson Jost replied for playoff-bound Carolina (47-29-5), which rested a number of key gamers. Jost’s late objective created an anxious couple of minutes on the Bell Centre earlier than Evans iced the sport. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 16 pictures.
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The Canadiens wanted not less than one level to remove the Columbus Blue Jackets from playoff competition and safe the second Jap Convention wild-card berth.
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Montreal had missed alternatives to clinch in its three earlier video games. The Canadiens misplaced in regulation to the Ottawa Senators earlier than falling in time beyond regulation to the Toronto Maple Leafs and struggling a shootout defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Anticipated to attract hundreds of thousands of viewers, the sport’s excessive stakes even impacted the federal election marketing campaign. The French-language debate occurred two hours sooner than initially deliberate Wednesday to attenuate a battle. Quebec Premier Francois Legault was among the many Canadiens followers in attendance.
TAKEAWAYS
Canadiens: Suzuki and Guhle scored 2:26 aside late within the second interval to offer the Canadiens a 3-1 lead. The objectives got here after Carolina managed play a lot of the interval, outshooting Montreal 14-5.
Hurricanes: Regulars Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Jalen Chatfield, Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Martinook and Jackson Blake all took the sport off. Skyler Brind’Amour, the son of Hurricanes head coach Rod, entered the lineup for his NHL debut, marking the eighth time in league historical past a participant had his father as head coach.
KEY MOMENT
Suzuki obtained a cross from Alexandre Provider on the left circle earlier than calmly selecting his spot short-side on Kochetkov to interrupt a 1-1 tie along with his thirtieth, sending the constructing right into a frenzy. Guhle then added to the lead with a wrist shot of his personal.
KEY STAT
Calder Trophy candidate Lane Hutson recorded his sixtieth help to tie Larry Murphy (1980-81) for probably the most by a rookie defenceman in a single season.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Put together for first-round sequence towards Washington.
Hurricanes: Go to the Ottawa Senators of their regular-season finale Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed April 16, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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