It may not have been pretty, but the Habs did just enough to qualify for the playoffs for the 3rd straight season; they’ll play Washington in the 1st round.

“Tickets! Get your playoff tickets!” That will be the saying in Montreal as the Habs clinched a playoff spot on Saturday night.

Though the week started off poorly, the Habs rebounded with a pair of crucial wins to put themselves on the verge of securing a playoff spot.

After what could generously be classified as a so-so outing in Philadelphia, the Habs rebounded with one of their best efforts of the season, beating the Buffalo Sabres 3-0 on Saturday night.

The good news is that the Habs managed to get 2 points in a must win game in Philadelphia on Friday night.

The Habs failed to build off their momentum last week, only managing 3 of a possible 8 points and as a result, the Eastern standings are a little tighter now.

It was a game where the Habs were in it right to the bitter end but they just couldn’t find a way to beat Martin Brodeur when it counted most in the 3rd period as the Devils beat Montreal 4-2 on Saturday.

The winning streak may have come to an end this week, but still, 3 out of 4 points can’t be called a disappointment by any means.

As the Habs are in the midst of their longest winning streak of the season, there’s lots to be excited about right now.

The Habs showed no fatigue coming off their Western road trip, winning all three of their home contests this week, giving them a tiny bit of breathing room in the Eastern playoff race.