The path the Montreal Canadiens need to take to the playoffs is steep, it is treacherous, but they have a map.
After Sunday’s action, there are no longer any games-in-hand. Each team vying for the Wild Card has three games remaining, and the immediate target ahead of them has shifted.
With five wins in a row, including Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres, the Columbus Blue Jackets have the inside track to a playoff spot. In order to pass the Blue Jackets, Montreal would need three points more than Columbus over the three remaining games.