from James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail,

The Montreal Canadiens tailspin couldn’t have come at a better time for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After a 25-8-5 start, the Habs lost for the fifth time in six games and sixth time in eight on Tuesday night to give Toronto an opening to grab home-ice advantage in Round 1.

Montreal’s latest loss (3-2 to the New Jersey Devils) now means that if the Leafs win out in their final three games, they will be guaranteed to finish in the top four in the East.

continued