Montreal Canadiens Miss Chance to Clinch Playoff Berth

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00:00Last night, the Canadians had a chance to lock up the last spot in the East.

00:04They didn't do it.

00:06They had a 2-0 early lead behind that kid, Demidoff,

00:09who had a goal and an assist in the first period, making his NHL debut.

00:13He was awesome, but they yacked it up to the Blackhawks,

00:16got down 3-2, tied it, and then lost in the shootout.

00:21So what does that mean for Montreal?

00:23They can still clinch a playoff berth tonight

00:26if Columbus does not win in regulation.

00:30So Columbus needs to win in regulation tonight to keep their hopes alive into tomorrow.

00:35The Rangers beat the Panthers 5-3 down at sunrise.

00:40What was the significance there?

00:42Well, actually was pretty significant for Florida

00:44because they are now two points back of Tampa,

00:48and Tampa has two games left, and Florida has one, including tonight against them.

00:52So for most likely now, Scotty,

00:55Tampa's going to have the home ice against Florida in their first-round series,

00:59which I was saying yesterday.

01:00Does it matter much?

01:01They've played so much the last few years.

01:03Does home ice make a difference in a series like that?

01:05Probably not.

01:06I don't believe it does, and they're in third place,

01:10and they don't look to me like Stanley Cup champs anymore.

01:16They just don't.

01:17They're not the best team in the NHL.

01:21No one's afraid of them right now.

01:23Nobody.

01:23Like, I don't think Tampa's afraid of them.

01:26I don't think Toronto's afraid of them.

01:29I don't think Washington's afraid of them.

01:32Do I need to go any further?

01:34Like, I think those teams can all give them problems.

01:36You are talking about, when they start these playoffs,

01:41you are talking about them now playing almost 300 games in the span of three years.

01:48Like, that is a lot of games being played for them.

01:52So you have to understand that, and it's just too much on these teams.

01:56I don't care how great they are.

01:57That'll be the excuse that we'll hear when they finally lose that they just ran out of gas.

02:01Right.

02:02They'll all say that.

02:03We ran out of gas, and it was just too much.

02:05Two straight runs to the finals.

02:06I think Tampa's going to beat them in the first round.

02:09And then they went and got an old guy.

02:10I think, you know, for my money, I think Marchand's best days are over.

02:15I really do.

02:16And they went and got him.

02:18Like, I think what they needed was, like, frankly, what...

02:21I think the Canadians got very lucky with this Demidoff deal.

02:25This is a young, you know, what is he, 19 years old, whatever.

02:28However, he skates 100 miles an hour.

02:31Those days are over for Brad Marchand.

02:34He should still be a Bruin.

02:35In fact, I won't be surprised if he goes back to Boston in the offseason.

02:40It would not surprise me at all, in the least.

02:42Now, the Kings did beat the Oilers last night.

02:44The Oilers ended up not playing anybody.

02:46They have major injury problems right now.

02:49So McDavid didn't play.

02:50Obviously, Dreisaitl's not going to play until game one of the playoffs.

02:53They've lost Ekholm now, one of their better defensemen, for the entire first round.

02:57This is another team that went all the way to the end, game seven, Stanley Cup finals last year,

03:03and didn't win.

03:04And they are on fumes.

03:05And they're playing a team, Scotty, that if there's ever a first-round matchup

03:10where a team's like, we finally have to beat this team.

03:12The Oilers have been beating the Kings over the head for four straight years now in the playoffs.

03:17And I think this is finally the year, Scotty.

03:19The Kings are going to get them.

03:20They'll have the home ice after the win last night.

03:22Look, I'm going to say the home ice means nothing, again, in this situation.

03:28This is a team that has owned them.

03:31And if they get McDavid and Dreisaitl on the ice, they can beat the Kings.

03:36I think the Kings have been better than the Oilers this season.

03:41Fair enough.

03:42But the regular season matters about as much as that NBA regular season does.

03:46Every time they play this team in the playoffs, they lose.

03:49I'm not going to be surprised at all.

03:51You remember, I said a number of times this year that they would win the Stanley Cup,

03:58the Edmonton Oilers.

04:00I don't really believe that anymore, but I did for most of the season that they would

04:06find a way to get back and win it.

04:08When they were down 3-0, came back and lost in seven, that they would come back and win

04:12the Stanley Cup with these guys, McDavid and Dreisaitl.

04:16I don't need anyone else on a team.

04:17I got those two rock stars.

04:19Detroit did beat Dallas last night.

04:22Canucks beat the Sharks.

04:23Utah beat Nashville.

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