Canadiens' remarkable slide continues with loss to Sabres
It was the best of times, and now it's most definitely the worst of times.
Montreal's tale of two seasons continued Wednesday, as the Canadiens' suffered a 4-2 loss on home ice to the Buffalo Sabres.
Related: Therrien 'very aware' it will be difficult for Canadiens to make playoffs
To make matters worse, the Canadiens took a 2-1 lead into the third period - thanks to a magnificent goal by Alex Galchenyuk - but allowed Buffalo to score a trio of goals in the final frame to secure the win.
The loss came in Montreal's 52nd game of the season, with the two halves of their season officially logged at completely opposite ends of the spectrum.
| Dates | Games | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 7 - Dec. 1 | 26 | 19-4-3 | 41 |
| Dec. 2 - Feb. 3 | 26 | 5-20-1 | 11 |
The Canadiens have now lost four in a row, all regulation decisions, and all against teams not in the playoff picture, the Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and a home-and-home set with the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets.
As a result, a team that was once seen as a lock to make the playoffs is now a long shot, with an 11.2 percent chance according to Sports Club Stats.
This latest loss comes almost two weeks after general manager Marc Bergevin declared head coach Michel Therrien safe for the balance of the season, and with star goalie Carey Price seemingly no closer to making his return to the lineup.
Up next for the Canadiens is a home game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.