Canadiens Preview: Playoff Qualification Possible
David Kirouac-Imagn Images The Montreal Canadiens (45-21-10) will face the New Jersey Devils (39-34-3) on Sunday, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET. This is the second leg of back-to-back games, with both team managing to secure at least one point in the first matchup. The Canadiens built a 3-0 lead, but the Devils clawed their way back into the game, pushing it to the shootout, where first-year players Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen scored for the Habs.
Cole Caufield also scored, but only in the shootout, which means the Bell Centre faithful will have an opportunity to celebrate his 50th goal. It’s also important to note that the Canadiens can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday. If they beat the Devils again, they’ll make it on their own, however, they’ll also officially qualify if the Detroit Red Wings lose to the Minnesota Wild.
The Habs only have 32 regulation wins, which is why the Buffalo Sabres, who are currently below them in the Atlantic Division standings, have already qualified. Simply put, it’s only a matter of time before the Canadiens punch their ticket to the springtime dance for the second consecutive season, quite the achievement when we consider they finished last in the league in 2021-22. Lineup Changes Given that the team did not practice on Sunday, any lineup changes will be confirmed once the Canadiens take to the ice for the pregame warm-up.
That being said, the Habs are expected to give rookie netminder Jacob Fowler the start on Sunday, seeing as his first-year counterpart, Jakub Dobes, faced the Devils on Saturday night. Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov Zach Bolduc – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson Joe Veleno – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson Jayden Struble- Lane Hutson Kaiden Guhle – Arber Xhekaj Jacob Fowler New Jersey Devils Projected Lineup Timo Meier – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer Jesper Bratt – Jack Hughes – Connor Brown Lenni Hameenaho – Cody Glass – Nick Bjugstad Evgenii Dadonov – Paul Cotter – Maxim Tsyplakov Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton Luke Hughes – Jonathan Kovacevic Brenden Dillon – Simon Nemec Jacob Markstrom How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Devils The Montreal Canadiens versus the New Jersey Devils, Sunday, April 5, 2026, will be aired on TSN2 and RDS.
An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows. Related Headlines Habs Daily: Eight Straight Wins, Demidov Hits 60, Pickford Canadiens Highlights: 100-Point Season Secured In Exciting Win Canadiens Preview: Dobes Likely, Caufield Nears 50 Goals