After a 4-3 come-from-behind win Wednesday night, the Canadiens are a game away from clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs first round and eliminating the Penguins.
No one predicted it.
No one expected it.
Why? Because, as a 12th seed, Montreal shouldn't have even had a sniff of the playoffs; they were not a good team.
When the NHL's 2019-20 season was paused on March 12, the team was at .500 (31-31-9) and nine points out of the postseason with three teams between them and the last wild-card spot. They were tied for 18th in goals for (212), tied for 23rd in goals against, in the bottom third on special teams and on a three-game losing streak.
Well, the time off was good for the Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. Sure, they have Vezina and Hart Trophy winner Carey Price in net and defenseman Jeff Petry scoring ridiculous game-winning goals, including this shocker in Game 3:
Petry gives the Canadiens a 4-3 lead in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/cljHfV3y6l
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) August 6, 2020
But still.
They're thisclose to knocking out Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (Game 4 is 4 p.m. ET Friday on NBCSN and SN) from the 2020 postseason — and giving Pittsburgh a good chance at getting phenom Alexis Lafreniere in the draft.
Twitter, of course, has lost its collective mind over all of this:
Oh dear pic.twitter.com/CEdykCdRMA
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) August 6, 2020
The Montreal Canadiens lost to the Detroit Red Wings four times this season. In regulation. Hockey, as ever, is dumb.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) August 6, 2020
The Canadiens can eliminate the Penguins on Friday starting at 4 PM. I didn't think I'd ever write these words.
— Conor McKenna (@mckennaconor) August 6, 2020
I guess since we didn't get March Madness this year, the Canadiens figure they'll go ahead and play the role of bracket buster and be the 12-seed that beats the 5-seed. #StanleyCup #Habs
— Jordan Bondurant (@J__Bondurant) August 6, 2020
Remember when some where suggesting the Canadiens would tank the series for a chance to get the No. pick.
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) August 6, 2020
That was funny.
Bruins fans rooting for Carey Price and the Canadiens is the final plot twist of 2020.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) August 6, 2020
Alexis Lafreniere glances over at his Sidney Crosby poster pic.twitter.com/f9poNdRbEg
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) August 6, 2020
Can you believe this?
— Conor McKenna (@mckennaconor) August 6, 2020
How many times did the Habs hold a lead that long in the regular season?
— Brian Wilde (@BWildeMTL) August 6, 2020
I don't have the answer, but it is very few.
They're one from moving on.
— Jay Baruchel 🇨🇦 (@BaruchelNDG) August 6, 2020
We're just going to leave this here....#Canadiens #Club1909 #BecauseItsTheCup#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/R3jiGN9BO1
— Habs Unfiltered - The Premier Fan experience (@HabsUnfiltered) August 6, 2020