The Columbus Blue Jackets are set to face the Montreal Canadiens in a crucial matchup on April 11, following a disappointing 5-0 defeat by the Buffalo Sabres. Goaltender Colten Ellis stopped all 37 shots from Columbus, dealing a blow to the Blue Jackets’ playoff hopes with only three games remaining in the regular season.
The loss leaves Columbus two points behind Philadelphia for third place in the Metropolitan Division and one point behind the New York Islanders. The team also retains an outside chance at securing a wild card spot, but every game now carries significant weight as they try to keep their postseason aspirations alive.
Despite being shut out, head coach Rick Bowness said he was encouraged by his team’s performance against Buffalo. “Listen, if we play like that again on Saturday, we’ll be fine,” Bowness said. “Their goalie stole the game for them tonight. That was all us in the second period. You hit a couple goal posts, you get that many chances, you think the puck is going to go in. It didn’t go in for us.” He added that focusing on each shift and maintaining determination will be key: “It’s just taking care of that next shift, the next period… It’s not gonna be about X’s and O’s. It’s about how hungry we are, and I know we’ll answer the bell.”
Captain Boone Jenner echoed this sentiment after Thursday’s defeat: “We look at the game as a whole and how much we put into that and invested into it,” Jenner said. “We worked really hard for all those chances, and it didn’t go our way tonight… There’s a ton of belief in here.”
Columbus will make lineup adjustments ahead of facing Montreal; Jake Christiansen returns while Jet Greaves gets another start in net. The Blue Jackets have also shifted forward lines based on Thursday’s performance.
Montreal enters Saturday’s contest having clinched a playoff spot after improving defensively late in their season and winning ten of their last eleven games. Led by captain Nick Suzuki and several young talents—including Cole Caufield—Montreal has secured second place in its division.
As both teams continue their push toward postseason play, attention remains focused on individual milestones within Columbus’ roster as well as overcoming recent struggles at Centre Bell where they have lost five straight games over three seasons.
