The Canadiens are playoff-bound. Preparation will define their final five games

MONTREAL — It is somewhat appropriate that most of the Montreal Canadiens players were sleeping when it happened. A year ago, the fact that it didn’t happen was keeping just about everyone connected to the team awake.To go down for a nap secure in the knowledge that the evening’s game was more consequential to their playoff positioning than to their playoff lives, then wake up to the news they had clinched a spot, sounds like it makes for a nice surprise.Advertisement