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The Montreal Canadiens improbably made the playoffs in 2025. It was an incredible run that very few saw coming. Head coach Martin St. Louis has experienced the heights of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a player. On Wednesday night, he and the Canadiens experienced the lows after their Game 5 loss to the Washington Capitals.
The Capitals won Game 5 by the score of 4-1. Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring on Wednesday, and Washington took off from there. Washington advances to the second round of the playoffs where they will meet the Carolina Hurricanes. St. Louis, meanwhile, took some time to address his team in the wake of a heartbreaking end to an inspiring season.
“The pain that you feel right now is normal, but I think it's not even close to what's coming,” the Canadiens coach said, via NHL.com's Dan Rosen. “The joy that's coming.”
The series ended in five games, but don't let the box score fool you. This Canadiens team put in an incredible effort against the Capitals. Every game in this series was decided by three or fewer goals. One game even went to overtime, where Montreal lost. They were defeated, but everyone knows what this team is about.
“It was hard,” Capitals forward Tom Wilson said, via Rosen. “I gained a lot of respect for that team over there.”
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery agreed. He spoke about Montreal's young stars such as Lane Hutson. He also noted their group of veterans, including Brendan Gallagher. “Long-winded way of saying that they have a bright future,” the Capitals bench boss said, via Rosen.
It's a stinging defeat that these players will feel for a while. However, there is nothing for this group to be ashamed of. St. Louis acknowledged as much when speaking after the loss.
“If we introduced ourselves to the rest of the league through these playoffs, especially being the youngest team, I think we can walk out of here with our head held high,” the Canadiens coach said, via Rosen. “We didn't leave any stone unturned.”
