The Playoffs are coming. The Playoffs are coming.
The Canadiens clinched a playoff berth on Thursday night, treating the joyous faithful at Le Centre Bell to a dominant 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers.
Three first-period goals put the game essentially out of reach against a Panthers team playing without Alexander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad. Panthers Captain Derek MacKenzie (17) tried to make the game interesting on a shorthanded breakaway attempt early in the second period. He was unsuccessful.
Reilly Smith (18) did manage to get the Panthers on the board against Carey Price a few minutes later.