Laval had an opportunity to close out March on a high note and solidify their top seed in the North Division. They didn’t do that. Instead, they lost all three games although they at least managed to pick up two points.
In a very tight playoff battle, it takes a winning streak to give a team a bit of a cushion in the playoff race. The Habs did just that last week with four wins in four games although there’s still plenty to be done before they can clinch.
Montreal kicked off a back-to-back road set in Nashville on Saturday night. A strong second period gave them a big lead that they didn’t relinquish as they skated away with the 4-1 win.
The Habs have agreed to terms with another one of their defence prospects, announcing on Friday that they’ve signed Owen Protz to a three-year, entry-level contract that begins next season.
Last week was a light one on the schedule for the Rocket with only two games. They took care of business in both of them, officially securing a playoff spot in the process although there’s still lots to play for seeding-wise down the stretch.
The Habs had three crucial games in the standings this past week. They won two of them to continue to hold onto a playoff spot but the way they lost the other one will be a source of frustration for them for a while.
After a disappointing loss in Detroit on Thursday, the Habs had yet another game against a team right behind them in the standings on Saturday as they hosted the Islanders. The top line took over when it mattered most, leading Montreal to a 7-3 win.
The month of February saw several players in Laval have strong months offensively to keep them atop the North Division. It was a quieter month for some of Montreal’s other youngsters, leading to some new names in our three stars.
Laval had a pair of divisional games on the road last week, including their last chance to gain ground on Syracuse, a team that has been gaining on them lately. They were able to do that, picking up a shootout win over the Crunch but that was preceded by a disappointing loss to Utica.
After a disappointing weekend, the Habs looked to get back on track Tuesday with a key divisional game against Boston. They never led in the game but it didn’t matter as Cole Caufield’s overtime winner gave them the 3-2 win.