Red-hot Canadiens pushing Boston in Northeast

By Bud L. Ellis

Last spring, the Montreal Canadiens grabbed the attention of the sports world by upsetting two NHL powerhouses as an eighth seed.

Don’t look now, but the Canadiens are getting hot again at just the right time.

Montreal is 7-3-0 in March, winning two of their past three games, to move within one scant point of the Boston Bruins in the Northeast Division. Sitting sixth in the conference standings with 86 points, sliding ahead of Boston and winning the division would be huge for Montreal.

If the playoffs started today, the Bruins and Canadiens would face off, but Boston would have the home-ice advantage. That shouldn’t faze Montreal if that scenario plays out this spring. Last season, Montreal just barely squeaked into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the East. All the Canadiens did was upend Washington and Pittsburgh, winning two Game 7s on the road during a shocking run to the Eastern Conference finals.

Montreal opened March with four victories in a row and are one of just four Eastern Conference teams with 40 victories. The Canadiens can take a big step toward winning the Northeast on Thursday when Montreal plays at Boston. Washington, second in the East, comes to Montreal on Saturday.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 8:23 pm by bud

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