The Montreal Canadiens clinched a place in the playoffs despite a 5-4 overtime loss to the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins on Thursday.
Right wing Mark Recchi scored two goals for the Bruins, including the game-winner at 2:42 into the extra session.
The loss was enough to give Montreal (41-29-11) one of the two remaining postseason berths in the East, along with the New York Rangers, who could face Boston (52-18-10) in the first round of the playoffs.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Canadiens and Rangers are tied for seventh with one game remaining.
“We had some tough times throughout the season and it hasn’t been the easiest one,” center Saku Koivu said. “But the way we’ve been playing, the way we’ve been handling everything that’s gone on, I’m really proud of our team.”
Matt D’Agostini scored twice for the Canadiens, who rallied after trailing 3-1 in the second period.
D’Agostini’s second goal put Montreal in the lead 4-3 with 3:07 left in the period after defenseman Mathieu Schneider earlier tied the match. Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara ensured the match would go into extra time, finding the net 5:27 into the third.
“It’s another test to get ready for the playoffs,” Boston winger Milan Lucic said. “It’s really important because you want to go into the playoffs with a good feeling, and in these last three games you don’t want to be creating bad habits for yourself.”
Boston has won seven of its last eight games, despite injuries to winger P.J Axelsson and defensemen Andrew Ference and Dennis Wideman.
Philip Kessel, playing in his second game after missing five games with an injury, notched his 33rd goal of the year in the second period to give the Bruins a 2-1 advantage.
Patrice Bergeron began the scoring for Boston and Recchi’s first score put the team up 3-1.
“We’re healing our injured players but the players that are out there have to play well,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “We don’t want to lose that edge that we’ve built over the last couple of weeks.”
RANGERS 2, FLYERS 1
At New York, Henrik Lundqvist made 37 saves and Ryan Callahan had a goal and an assist as the New York Rangers clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot by defeating Philadelphia.
The Rangers, set to close the regular season tomorrow in Philadelphia, are fighting Montreal for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens, tied with the Rangers with 93 points, will finish tonight against Pittsburgh. The seventh seed will open the playoff against Washington and the eighth seed will face Boston.
Markus Naslund also scored for the Rangers. Daniel Briere scored for the Flyers and Martin Biron made 29 saves.
SABRES 5, HURRICANES 1
At Raleigh, North Carolina, Jason Pominville scored twice and Ryan Miller made 26 saves to help Buffalo snap Carolina’s nine-game winning streak.
Minutes after the game, Buffalo was eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoff race when the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia.
Matt Ellis and Jochen Hecht also scored and Derek Roy converted a penalty shot for Buffalo.
Eric Staal scored his 40th goal for Carolina in the final minute.
PANTHERS 3, THRASHERS 2
At Atlanta, Georgia, David Booth scored with 4:25 left in the third period to lift Florida, eliminated for playoff contention when Montreal took Boston to overtime.
Nathan Horton and Cory Stillman also scored for Florida.
Defenseman Zach Bogosian scored twice for Atlanta.
COYOTES 4, SHARKS 1
At San Jose, California, Al Montoya made 40 saves for his third NHL victory as Phoenix prevented league-leading San Jose from clinching the Presidents’ Trophy.
Scottie Upshall and Peter Mueller each had a goal and an assist, and Ed Jovanovski and Zbynek Michalek also scored for last-place Phoenix.
CAPITALS 4, LIGHTNING 2
At Tampa, Florida, Brooks Laich had two goals and David Steckel and Mike Green also scored as Washington beat Tampa Bay and secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Washington set a franchise record with 108 points and tied a team mark set in 1985-1986 with its 50th win.
Steven Stamkos and Matt Pettinger scored for Tampa Bay. Stamkos set a team record for rookies with his 22nd goal of the season.
PENGUINS 6, ISLANDERS 1
At Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin picked up two assists to lengthen his lead in the NHL scoring race as Pittsburgh stayed in contention for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, while assuring New York of finishing last in the NHL.
Malkin has 112 points — four more than last season’s scoring champion, Alex Ovechkin of Washington. Both players have one game remaining.
The Penguins improved to 17-3-4 under interim coach Dan Bylsma and tied Carolina and Philadelphia with 97 points in the race to finish fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis, Philippe Boucher, Matt Cooke, Bill Guerin and Tyler Kennedy also scored, while Mathieu Garon made 28 saves, allowing only Frans Nielsen’s early power-play goal.
DEVILS 3, SENATORS 2, SO
At Ottawa, Zach Parise and Brendan Shanahan scored in the shootout as New Jersey clinched first place in the Atlantic Division and third place in the Eastern Conference when it earned a point for going into overtime.
Dany Heatley scored his 39th goal to draw Ottawa even at 2-2 with a minute left in the third period. Brodeur stopped Mike Fisher and Jason Spezza after Daniel Alfredsson scored on Ottawa’s first shot in the tiebreaker.
PREDATORS 4, RED WINGS 3, SO
At Detroit, Michigan, Ville Koistinen and Jason Arnott scored in the shootout to complete Nashville’s comeback over Detroit from a two-goal deficit.
In other games it was:
• Stars 3, Avalanche 2, SO
• Canucks 1, Kings 0
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