If the Habs are going to beat Toronto in their upcoming series, they’ll need their top players to contribute plus have a couple of other players step up. Who could those players be? Our writers make their picks for Montreal’s X-Factors.
With Laval finishing their season up on Monday, the Habs were able to make their end-of-season recalls to establish their ‘Black Aces’ for the playoffs. They did just that on Tuesday, recalling nine players.
The final stretch of the season was a tough one for Laval. Despite outplaying the Marlies for significant stretches, it didn’t result in much success as they only managed to pick up three points in five games to end their season on a quiet note.
The Habs needed to pick up a point in their final two games against Edmonton in order to officially lock down a playoff spot. They couldn’t secure a win to give them a shot at catching Winnipeg for third but did enough to back into the final spot in the North.
Wednesday’s regular season finale against Edmonton had nothing at stake in terms of the standings and with several veterans resting, some youngsters had an opportunity to step up. In the end, it was the younger players that scored but it wasn’t quite enough as they fell 4-3 in overtime.
With the June 1st deadline to sign him fast approaching, the Habs have indeed got a deal done with Rafael Harvey-Pinard, announcing on Wednesday that they’ve signed the winger to a two-year, entry-level contract that begins next season.
Laval returned to action after another extended break and between shaking off some rust and a rapidly-growing injured list, they were unable to pick up a win in either of their games although they did manage to accomplish something notable despite the losses.
The week started off well for the Habs but after a tough showing the rest of the way, they still have some work to do before they can officially lock down the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division.
After a pair of tough outings, the Habs were looking to rebound on Saturday as they finished up the road portion of their schedule in Toronto. They got off to a good start and had a two-goal lead but couldn’t hold it, falling 3-2.
The Habs didn’t have a lot of prospects suit up in April but some of those that did had strong months, earning themselves a spot in our prospect three stars.