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  Saturday, Apr. 8 7:00pm ET
Road ends for Canadiens at home
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

MONTREAL (AP) -- Thanks to a listless offense and an unending string of injuries, the Montreal Canadiens have a two-year playoff drought for the first time since 1922.

Patrick Lalime turned away 23 shots as the Ottawa Senators defeated Montreal 3-1 Saturday night, eliminating the Canadiens from the Eastern Conference playoff picture one day before the regular season ends.

Patrice Brisebois, Vaclav Prospal, Jeff Hackett
Patrice Brisebois and the Canadiens couldn't stop Vaclav Prospal's Senators from blocking their path on Saturday.
"We worked so hard all year and came through so much adversity and so many injuries," left wing Shayne Corson said. "I really thought we'd win. I thought it was our year. We tried so hard to win and we didn't and that's a disappointment for all of us."

Montreal lost a record 533 man-games to injury but still fought its way into playoff contention with a 23-11-4-3 second half.

Karl Dykhuis ended Lalime's bid for a fourth shutout with an unassisted goal with 1:39 left to play. It was a typically poor showing on offense from the Canadiens, who managed 196 goals this season. Only expansion Atlanta and the New York Islanders scored fewer.

"Everyone's disappointed, but there's still a sense of accomplishment," Montreal defenseman Eric Weinrich said.

"Maybe next year, we'll learn something from this game and maybe we won't have to play a game like this."

Montreal, which missed the playoffs last season, had not been out of the postseason in consecutive years since failing in three straight from 1920-22. The Canadiens own a record 23 Stanley Cup titles since the NHL was formed in 1917.

Montreal finishes the season with 83 points, one fewer than eighth-place Buffalo. Carolina has 82, and can swipe the final berth with a win against Atlanta on Sunday and a Sabres loss.

Magnus Arvedsson, Kevin Miller and Daniel Alfredsson scored for Ottawa, which ends its season Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Ottawa had already clinched a playoff spot in the East and will face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round.

Three Canadiens were caught at the blue-line as Arvedsson, in his first game back after missing 33 with an abdominal injury, tapped in a pass from Andreas Dackell 15:08 into the match.

Miller won a faceoff and went to the net to tip in Colin Forbes' shot 2:03 into the second period.
 


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RECAPS
New Jersey 2
Florida 1

Philadelphia 3
Boston 0

Carolina 4
Atlanta 3

Ottawa 3
Montreal 1

Toronto 4
Tampa Bay 2

Edmonton 6
Calgary 3

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Magnus Arvedsson taps in a pass from Andreas Dackell.
avi: 687 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Daniel Alfredsson's wrister deflects off the post for the goal.
avi: 611 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1