We all know what Gallagher and Phillip Danault can bring to the party every night. What has been interesting is the way Tomas Tatar has fit into the scheme of things. Gallagher and Danault each had two points but it was Tatar who was rightfully named the game’s first star. 

The 5-2 loss was predictable. The Florida Panthers had a lineup that included most of their best stars and a lineup that included seven players with over 250 games NHL experience. The Canadiens countered with a rookie laden roster and only three with as much as 250 games in the league. Even so the Canadiens kept the game close until midway through the third period.

In the three months since the Canadiens played their last game, almost every headline regarding the team, on either traditional or social media has ended in a question mark.

“Will Bergevin be fired?”. “Can they sign free agents?” “What is to become of Pacioretty?”. “Can a top centre be found?” What about the defense?” On and on it goes.

Today, we have few answers. If anything even more questions.

That fiasco known as the 2017-2018 Canadiens season is over.

It was an awful ride, riven by injuries, poor management, underachievement and for fans, broken dreams.

The Canadiens finished with 71 points, 32 fewer than last season. It might have been somewhat better if the injuries hadn’t piled up in the final 40 games but right from training camp there was a feeling that this was a poorly constructed team that was going to have problems winning games.

They tied a team record in Toronto with their 40th loss in regulation time. They won only 11 of 41 road games which also ties a team record.

From December 22nd when they were actually a game over .500, they were the worst team in the league winning 13 of 46 games. In the final two months of the season they were unable to beat any team that made the playoffs.

Fourth of four meetings (Canadiens 0-2-1). @Bell Centre – Oct. 14th Toronto-4 Canadiens-3 (OT). Ended fourteen game Canadiens winning streak over Toronto. Auston Matthews second goal won the game in overtime. Drouin 1 g, 1a. Price allows 4 goals on 22 shots. @Bell Centre Nov. 18th – Toronto-6 Canadiens-0. Matthews with two goals. Niemi replaced Lindgren in third period. Frederik Andersen 33 saves for shutout. @Toronto March 17 Toronto-4 Canadiens-0. Curtis McElhinney 33 saves for shutout. Lindgren faces 49 shots. Nylander, Kapanen, Kadri &Johnsson scored.

….Toronto has outscored the Canadiens 14-3 in the three meetings. Toronto has scored the last 12 goals including 10-0 in the last two games/

….The Canadiens have not scored a goal on Toronto goaltending in 149:15. Back-to-back shutouts by Frederik Andersen and Curtis McElhinney.

….After sweeping the four game series last year the Canadiens are in danger of being swept by Toronto this season. It’s been 25 years since Toronto last swept a season series vs. Montreal -1992-93 which iwathe Canadiens last Stanley Cup season).

What we had on the ice Thursday night in Detroit were two bad hockey teams. A look at the league standings prevent any argument on that point.

But the teams are bad for different reasons. The Red Wings, whose last Stanley Cup win was ten years ago, are now the oldest team in the NHL. The team the Canadiens currently put on the ice are the league’s youngest.

While a huge portion of the Montreal fan base was, for reasons of the draft lottery, hoping for a loss, the seven rookies  on the ice for the Canadiens were more interested in their NHL futures than what may or may not happen on the April 26th lottery day.

Ultimately, in a mistake-filled game, motivation was the difference.

Detroit joined the NHL in 1926. This is the first time in the 92 years the Detroit and Montreal have been in league together that both franchises have missed the playoffs in the same season.

….Going into the game the Canadiens have the third worst record in the league and Detroit is sixth-worst.

….The Canadiens are 3-0-0 vs. Detroit this season. In the three games they have outscored the Wings 20-6.

….Fourth of four meetings. @Detroit Nov. 30th Canadiens-6 Detroit-3. Jimmy Howard allows 6 goals on 25 shots. Gallagher 2g, 1a; Pacioretty 1g, 1a; Petry & Danault 2a each. @Bell Centre Dec. 2nd Canadiens-10 Detroit-1. PaulByron 3 goals, Alex Galchenyuk 4 assists. Deslauriers, Carr and de la Rose 1g 2a each. Mrazek 5 goals on 25 shots, Howard 5 goals on 9 shots. @Bell Centre Mar. 26th Canadiens-4 Detroit-2. Gallagher – 29th and 30th goals; Galchenyuk & Byron. Coreau vs. Price.

For the first two periods Tuesday night Canadiens versus Jets had the look of one of those pre-season exhibition game with neither team having any idea what they were supposed to be doing.

The Jets had decided to rest some of their best players and the Canadiens were what they’ve been all year; injured and disorganized.

Winnipeg took advantage of Canadiens blunders to take a 3-0 lead. but  things changed with a minute left in the second period when Artturi Lehkonen, who was one of the few who had his stuff together, rifled home a loose puck to make it 3-1.

In the third period the Canadiens were a different team while the Jets kept playing like a team that has nothing left to accomplish in the season’s remaining games.   The Canadiens came back to tie it; twenty-four seconds later lost the lead again; tied it again and then lost the game 5-4 in overtime.  Another path to what was their 52nd loss of the season.  

Second of two meetings. @Winnipeg Nov. 4 Canadiens-5 Winnipeg-4 (overtime). Pacioretty with GWG PPG at 3:07 OT. Pacioretty 1g, 2a. Andrew Shaw – 2 goals; The game featured 6 PPG’s – three by each team. Canadiens outshoot Winnipeg 50-23. Montoya vs. Hellebuyck.

….In their last visit to the Bell Centre Feb. 18, 2017 Winnipeg was a 3-1 winner over the Canadiens

….Since the 2012 lockout the Canadiens are 8-4-0 vs. Winnipeg; at the Bell Centre 4-2-0.

….Since 2012 Alex Galchenyuk leads the Canadiens against the Jets with 4g, 5a in ten games. Max Pacioretty has 2g, 6a in 11 games.

…..Vs. the Canadiens Blake Wheeler has 4g, 2a in 12 games since the lockout.

The third period of the Devils game was a microcosm of the Canadiens season.

The Canadiens went into that third period in complete control. They had limited New Jersey to only one dangerous scoring chance through the game’s first forty minutes and carried a 1-0 lead. It took only 26 seconds for the wheels to start to come off for the Canadiens. That’s when Nico Hishier tipped Sami Vatanen’s shot from the point to tie the game.