- Lots of changes to the lineup after Sunday’s loss. Joe Veleno is ill and Brendan Gallagher is a scratch to make the math work on the returns of both Kirby Dach and Alexandre Texier. Adam Engström is also in as Kaiden Guhle needs a therapy day.
First period
- A difficult opening shift for Engström, who sees A.J. Greer skate around him and he has to haul down the Panthers forward.
- Newhook did a nice job on the first PK unit to get a clear, but it was a shooting gallery on Jakub Dobeš in the final minute of the penalty.
- A first big cheer from the crowd after the new-look second line got the puck to Ivan Demidov in the slot for a toe-drag wrister that just missed the target.
- The Panthers score on their sixth shot of the period. Montreal just wasn’t prepared for them to come out playing like this it seems.
- The second line is trying at least. They run a cycle in the offensive zone that the Panthers can’t keep up with and Dmitry Kulikov ends up high-sticking Demidov.
- The passing is too nonchalant right now. They always seem surprised when an opponent reaches out and intercepts a telegraphed pass. They need to five that before the season ends.
- Zero shots on the power play, which is happening much too often.
- A helping hand from Lane Hutson allows the second line to clear its zone, and in Florida’s zone a Demidov pass to Jayden Struble gives Montreal another dangerous look.
- Dach takes the stick of Arber Xhekaj near his eye and skates off. He got to play five shifts without having to leave again. The officials review the play, but they see it was Xhekaj’s stick that caught Dach.
- Demidov draws another penalty on a trip. I think the second line should stay out for the power play.
- Nick Suzuki does get a good chance from low in the slot from a pass by Demidov, but whips it high off Daniil Tarasov’s shoulder.
- The power play allows another two-on-one. That’s happening on almost every man advantage now as teams are leaving two players high to attack on passes back to Hutson.
- Demidov made that period look a lot better for Montreal than it would have otherwise. Everyone else needs to match his effort level in the second.
Second period
- Dach is back on the bench for the second period.
- Demidov draws his third penalty of the game, a slash as he drives right to the crease.
- Fittingly, it’s Demidov who scores, firing home a one-timer off a pass from Cole Caufield.
Ivan Demidov draws the call, and scores the goal
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 7, 2026 at 9:07 PM
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- That’s Demidov’s 18th goal, but I vote we don’t tell him he’s also chasing a milestone.
- Montreal is now playing at a pace the Panthers can only chase. If they keep that up, they will be more than fine.
- Phillip Danault gets sent in on a breakaway by Oliver Kapanen, but can’t control the puck and has to settle for essentially skating the puck into Tarasov.
- A few minutes later, Danault sets up Josh Anderson for a point-blank chance, but Tarasov has the five-hole covered.
- The Habs have iced the puck four times in about two minutes of playing time. I guess the game needs another Demidov shift.
- Nick Suzuki punts a puck on a potential rush for the top line, and the Panthers counter. Xhekaj is slow to react to Cole Reinhardt’s zone entry, Dobeš is too quick to drop to the ice, and Reinhardt banks the puck into the net off the goalie’s foot to give the Panthers their lead back.
- A terrible stretch of hockey set up that go-ahead goal. Montreal looked great to begin the period.
- After drawing three penalties, the refs decide Demidov needs one of his own when he outcompetes Seth Jones in a battle for a loose puck. I don’t think Martin St-Louis will have any issue with that play.
- Jake Evans intercepts and gets tripped as he tries to clear the puck down the ice. The officials think that was less of a penalty than Demidov’s moments earlier.
- In the same corner where Demidov was called fro his penalty, Suzuki is taking down forcefully without touching the puck. They may not be anywhere close to making the playoffs, but the officials are still treating them like the elite teams that get obvious called overlooked for some reason.
- It’s hard to believe Montreal’s solid play happened early in this same period. Just an atrocious effort to finish it off, and they ended up getting outshot once again.
Third period
- Dobeš has to make an incredible save in the opening 30 seconds. It’s not an encouraging start.
- Hutson walks into open space in the slot and … tries to send the puck through two defenders to Caufield. He might finish the season on 49 goals if they keep doing this.
- Anderson drives to the net and gets taken down. The ref was reluctant to call the penalty, but eventually put his arm up. He gets out of actually having to make the call, because Danault fires the puck in from the slot.
Phil Danault gets the loose puck and it's a 2-2 game in Montreal
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 7, 2026 at 10:11 PM
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- Adam Engström gets his first NHL point on the play, a secondary assist.
- The game stays tied for mere seconds as Eetu Luostarinen puts Florida back on top on a Samuel Montembeault special from the blue line.
- Montreal gets a long offensive-zone shift, but the pressure is broken when Matheson sticks out his foot to try to hold the puck in the zone and has it get past him.
- The top line has its best shift of the game to create about four shots. None of them go in, but maybe the Habs have some momentum with three-and-a-half minutes to play.
- With the net empty, Montreal gets a few more scoring chances.
- The timeout is called with 65 seconds left.
- With the seconds ticking away, Hutson decides to do it himself. He sees a small gap in the defence and blows through it. He pulls Tarasov out of the crease by carrying the puck behind the goal line, then sends it out to Suzuki to push into the empty net.
Lane Hutson through the Florida defence, and Nick Suzuki ties the game with under 30 seconds left
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) April 7, 2026 at 10:39 PM
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- Hutson gets pitchforked in the chin with 11.5 seconds to play, sending Montreal to a late power play.
- Nothing in those final seconds, but Montreal will have almost a full two-minute four-on-three in overtime. Now is the time to convert in that situation.
Overtime
- It’s a four-forward power play to start, with Hutson the odd man out.
- Still they’re trying to force the puck to Caufield. That seems to be more important to them than this available point.
- The power play is over.
- Dobeš catches the puck and tries to play it ahead, but gets tripped in the process. He’s not happy that nothing was called, and neither is the crowd.
- The final point will be decided in a shootout. It is the first time since January 13 that Caufield has gone three games without scoring.
Shootout
- First up is Caufield. Tarasov gets a lot of his shot, but not enough. Caufield hasn’t lost his goal-scoring touch.
- Luostarinen put the Panthers in the lead in the third, but he can’t tie the shootout.
- Texier can give Montreal a 2-0 edge. He does.
- Montreal now has three chances to win this game.
- Dobeš will try to stop Sam Bennett. He makes the save. He emphatically waves off the play in celebration. Montreal wins!
- That’s 102 points.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning lost tonight, so there’s now a three-way tie atop the Atlantic Division with all three teams having played 78 games.
- The Canadiens will have a chance to pass the Lightning when they clash on Thursday.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) If only he could share that bandwidth with others
2) Even he is begging you
1) Pretty good for a late second-rounder
