CANADIENS CLINCH HOME ICE ADVANTAGE WITH A 4-2 WIN AGAINST THE JETS

GOAL SCORERS

MTL:   R. Bourque (09:54 - 2nd) , B. Gallagher (02:07 - 3rd) , D. Desharnais (PPG, 07:57 - 3rd) , M. Pacioretty (10:50 - 3rd)

WPG:   J. Wright (09:10 - 1st) , B. Wheeler (14:43 - 2nd)

GOALIES

MTL: C. Price (W)

 WPG: O. Pavelec (L)

         Earlier tonight in Winnipeg, the Jets were playing their final game of the 2013 Regular season. Before the game the Jets still had a slight chance of making the playoffs as they sat 9th in the East, 1 point back of both the Rangers and Senators for 8th. 10 minutes in, Boullion had the puck behind the Habs net and he lost his balance, Thorburn picked up the puck and centred it to Wright and he scored to make it 1-0 Jets. The shots in the first were 8-5 Montreal. 10 minutes into the second, Galchenyuk drove the net from the left side and he was stopped and there was a scramble for the puck and Bourque knocked it home to tie the game.

           5 minutes later, Wheeler scored to make it 2-1 after 2. The shots in the second were 11-9 Montreal. During the intermission, Callahan scored in overtime to win the game for the Rangers 4-3 is the final against the Hurricanes. So New York clinched a playoff spot. Then it was 1-1 in Overtime between the Senators and the Capitals and the Sens were on a powerplay and Gonchar scored to win the game and clinch a playoff spot for Ottawa. So at this point its official, the Jets have been eliminated.

       At the start of the third, the Jets knew what had happened and they came out with little to no energy. 2 minutes in, Gallaghers slap shot from the right wing went off the arm of Pavelec and in to tie the game. 5 minutes later with the Habs on a 5 on 3 powerplay, Subbans one time was redirected right to Desharnais and he scored to give Montreal the lead. Pacioretty would score another goal as the Habs beat the Jets 4-2 and clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

          "We knew after the second we are out," goaltender Ondrej Pavelec said."It's not an excuse at all but it's tough to play when you know you've got 20 minutes left in the season."In the win, Price made 23 saves. In the loss, Pavelec made 26 saves.  "It's a big win against a desperate team," Montreal captain Brian Gionta said."It's huge. Home ice is really big in the playoffs. ... You keep forcing plays, you keep being relentless on the puck, eventually they're going to turn it over and they're going to get tired and we took advantage in the third."

          Montreal can potentially play any team in the playoffs that has clinched except for the Bruins, Capitals and Penguins. But the Habs only have 1 game remaining and are tied for second with the Bruins who have 2 games to go. Unless the Bruins lose their next 2 games, the Habs will play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. We will know by the Sunday who the Habs will play, my money is on the Leafs.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo