After four hard-fought games, the Montreal Canadiens are on the brink of elimination in their first-round series against the Washington Capitals. The Habs had a day off on Monday. Still, alternate captain Brendan Gallagher spoke to the media and explained this was nothing new, reminding the press that Montreal was down 3-1 in their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021.

Canadiens: About That Devastating Hit
Canadiens: Tough Loss In Hard Hitting Battle
Canadiens: After The Warnings, The Fines

Granted, there aren’t that many players left on the team (Gallagher, Josh Anderson, Joel Armia, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Jake Evans), but they are leaders the other players look up too, so leading the way will be nothing new for them when the puck drops on Wednesday night.

Going back even further, in the Spring of 2010, the Habs were also down 3-1 against those same Capitals and ultimately prevailed. Of course, none of the players from then are still around, but the circumstances were similar. The Habs had qualified from the skin of their teeth while the Capitals were the Presidents’ Trophy winners.

Montreal won the first game 3-2 in overtime before losing the next three, including two one-sided games. Still, the Canadiens rose from their ashes thanks to Jaroslav Halak. They put up three consecutive wins to eventually dispatch the regular season champions in seven games on their turf.

The fact that the Canadiens haven’t won a game in Washington so far doesn’t mean they cannot do it. Despite the scoreline of Sunday night’s game, the Habs were in it until the very end and were by no means dominated.

The efficiency of both special teams may also play a significant role in game five. The newly formed first power play unit was impressive in game four and will be hungry for more in game five, especially with the high stakes.

SON NOM : GOAL CAUFIELD#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/DiORuuqqjk

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 28, 2025

The Canadiens will hold a practice in Brossard at 11:00 on Tuesday morning before departing for Washington at 2:00 PM. They’ll then have a morning skate on Wednesday at 10:30 in Washington to prepare for game five, which is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

---

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens. 

With the shocking news that the Pittsburgh Penguins and longtime coach Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways, it comes as no surprise that one of the first talking points is who will be the one replace him.

Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas certainly has his work cut out for him. When speaking with the Pittsburgh media on Monday following the announcement of Sullivan's departure, Dubas mapped out the timeline for their coaching search, specifying that the organization expects to name a new head coach in early June.

He also tipped off some ideas about the kind of coach he might be looking for, and the sticking point seemed to be prioritizing the development of their young players as the Penguins navigate a transitional period back to Stanley Cup contention.

With that in mind, here are eight candidates that Dubas should consider for the position.

BREAKING: Penguins And Head Coach Mike Sullivan Mutually Part WaysAfter nearly 10 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a new voice behind the bench for the 2025-26 season.

---

The "best-case scenario" category

David Carle

After turning down an opportunity with the Chicago Blackhawks, it remains to be seen whether or not Carle - head coach of the University of Denver Pioneers - is interested in coaching at the NHL level altogether right now. 

But if he is an option, he's certainly someone Dubas shouldn't hesitate to call.

Carle is only 35 years old - so, yes, he's younger than Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby - but if the Penguins are looking for a head coach with a proven track record of success in development, there's arguably no one more fitting than Carle. In seven seasons coaching the Pioneers, he's won two national championships and has a .694 winning percentage. 

He also led Team USA to gold at the World Junior Championship this season, and he will helm the 2025 squad as well. He's great with young players, he knows how to win, and he's the perfect fit for the Penguins if he's open to the position.

Todd Nelson

Although Dubas ruled out first-year Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald as a candidate, that doesn't mean he won't turn to other AHL head coaches as options.

And there's, perhaps, no better such option than Nelson.

A former Penguin as a player, Nelson - head coach of the Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals - has shown a proven track record of success at the AHL level. He spent some time with the Chicago Wolves and Grand Rapids Griffins before coaching the Bears to back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024, with another potentially on the horizon. 

He also has some experience at the NHL level. Nelson was an assistant coach for the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers from 2008-10 and for the Dallas Stars from 2018-22. In between, he was named the interim head coach of the Edmonton Oilers in the back half of the 2014-15 season before being replaced by Todd McLellan in the season's aftermath.

Nelson has the right mixture of experience, developmental acumen, and success for the Penguins' vacancy, and he should be a top option in their search.

Rick Tocchet

Although his NHL coaching career has had some ups and downs, there's no denying Tocchet's connections to the Penguins.

In addition to winning the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1992 as a player, Tocchet was behind the Penguins' bench as an assistant coach during their back-to-back Cup runs in 2016 and 2017 before taking a head coaching position with the Arizona Coyotes the following season, where he remained until the end of the 2021-22 season. 

He was then brought on to coach the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023-24 season, and after leading the team to a Pacific division title, he received the Jack Adams Award for NHL coach of the year. 2024-25 was tumultuous, however, as the Canucks missed the postseason amid a lot of drama surrounding the organization all season long.

Tocchet's contract with the Canucks has expired, and although it's believed that Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford wants to retain the sought-after coach, it's not clear yet what Tocchet's intentions are. 

He has a great relationship with the veteran core of the Penguins, and his reputation with young players is a very positive one. Since both things are crucial to Dubas's plan moving forward, if the Penguins are to choose a "re-tread," there is a very high chance that Tocchet would be their guy.

'I Started To Think That It May Just Be Time': Takeaways From Kyle Dubas's Press Conference Regarding Departure Of Mike SullivanOn Monday, Pittsburgh Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas shook the hockey world when he announced that head coach Mike Sullivan would not be returning to coach the Penguins in 2025-26.

---

The "inexperienced but intriguing" category

Mike Hastings

Of all the options on this list, Hastings is certainly the most unproven. But "unproven" may not necessarily be a bad thing in this case.

Hastings was bred from the USHL program, where he racked up both USHL Coach of the Year and General Manager of the Year honors with the Omaha City Lancers over the years. He then turned around a near-irrelevant Minnesota State Mavericks collegiate team from 2012-23, leading them to the Frozen Four in 2021 and earning him a nod as an assistant coach for the 2022 U.S. Men's Olympic team that never came to fruition with the NHL backing out of the games.

He has spent the last two seasons coaching the Wisconsin Badgers with a combined 38-31-5 record.

Hastings is a prime example of a coach who has earned everything he's gotten, rising from his humble beginnings in the USHL and elevating himself to a Big-10 coaching role. That organic growth seems synonymous with what Dubas is looking for.

Aaron Schneekloth

Jumping back to AHL candidates, Schneekloth, 46, has been at the helm for the Colorado Eagles - AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche - for the past two seasons, putting up a very respectable 83-46-10-5 record. Prior to that, the Eagles were actually the ECHL affiliate of the Avalanche, and Schneekloth won back-to-back Kelly Cup championships in 2017 and 2018.

The Eagles are known for their high-octane offense - they led the AHL in goals for this season with 250 - which should go over well with the Penguins and the types of high-end offensive players they have at the top of their lineup. 

He is held in high regard in the Avalanche's system, and he has grown along with the players in that system. If development is a priority, Schneekloth would certainly qualify.

Inside the Numbers: Mike Sullivan's Decade As Penguins Head CoachOn April 28, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they mutually parted ways with head coach Mike Sullivan. As the winningest coach in franchise history, it's a monumental day for the organization, which will begin its search for a new leader for the first time since 2015.

---

The "worthwhile re-tread" category

David Quinn

Even though Dubas said that the rest of the Penguins' coaching staff was deemed free to pursue other opportunities - including Andy Chiodo, Ty Hennes, and Mike Vellucci - Quinn's name still remains in the fold because he is still under contract.

It's hard to deny the work that Quinn did with the Penguins' power play this season, and he has some familiarity with the Penguins' players and their system but not enough tenure for any philosophy to be engrained. He's also notorious for his "people skills," which Sullivan himself pointed out multiple times throughout the season.

Since the Penguins are in a transitional period, it might not be the worst idea to have someone around who is somewhat familiar but still relatively fresh. He may not be a long-term option, but he's not necessarily a bad one for the "now." 

'He's Very Detailed': Quinn Makes Impression In First Season As Penguins Assistant CoachPenguins assistant coach David Quinn - who oversees the defense, power play, and overtime - has brought an element of authenticity to the room

Jeremy Colliton

Colliton - who is currently an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils - has a bit of a bumpy track record. His first NHL head coaching gig didn't exactly go swimmingly, as he was named the successor to Joel Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 and was fired almost exactly three years later in 2021 after falling short of expectations.

A former NHL player with the New York Islanders from 2005-11 (three goals, six points in 57 games), he's seen AHL stints with the Rockford Icehogs and Abbotsford Canucks in addition to his NHL experience.

The 40-year-old certainly has more to prove, but he may be worth a gamble by the Penguins and could even be a "bridge" option for them if their rebuild turns out to be longer-term than expected.

Jay Woodcroft

Woodcroft's resume may be short, but that doesn't mean it is lacking.

During the 2021-22 season, Woodcroft was promoted from his position with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors in February and managed to revive an Oilers team that was dead in the water at the time of his hiring, leading them to the Western Conference Finals. The Oilers went 50-23-9 with 109 points in the following season, which was good enough for the second-best regular season finish in the Western Conference.

Even though he was fired after Edmonton's abysmal 3-9-1 start to the 2023-24 season, it felt like Woodcroft had a lot left in the tank. Aside from being an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, however, he hasn't had a coaching gig since, and he has been awaiting another opportunity.

Woodcroft is known for his work with young players, and that's something the Penguins and Dubas will need out of their new coach. He may technically be a "re-tread," but of the non-Tocchet re-treads available, he's probably the most intriguing option.

'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer PlansTo close out the 2024-25 season, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday.

---

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

The Comeback Cats made their first appearance of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night in Sunrise.

Down by a goal late in the third period, the Panthers struck the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring two incredibly quick goals and winning by a 4-2 final.

Florida now leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 heading back to Tampa.

Both teams did well to limit the others’ opportunities during a scoreless first period.

Tampa finished with six shots on 14 attempts while Florida had six shots on 16 attempts. The Lightning blocked five shots and the Cats blocked four.

Florida finally broke the ice near the midway point of the game.

The play started with Brad Marchand hustling after a puck in Tampa’s zone to negate an icing. After tying the puck up along the boards, Eetu Luostarinen arrived to quickly take the puck and, after drawing a defender, pass it back to Marchand.

With Anton Lundell alone in the slot, Marchand quicky delivered the puck to Lundell, who beat Andrei Vasilevskiy blocker side to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Not long after, Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad sent Tampa’s Brandon Hagel to the locker room with a crushing check that appeared to get part of Hagel’s head.

That appeared to motivate the Lightning because they quickly scored two goals in the span of just 11 seconds to shock the Panthers and take a 2-1 lead into the third period.

Tampa’s lead led until the final minutes of the third period.

Aaron Ekblad, who had a goal called back earlier in the period due to the play being offside, jumped on a rebound and beat Vasilevskiy at the 16:13 mark to tie the game at two.

Stop me if you’ve heard this already, but just 11 seconds later, a Seth Jones shot from the point went off a skate and past Vasilevskiy to suddenly and shockingly put the Panthers back in front.

Carter Verhaeghe added an empty-net goal to make the already frenzied crowd even louder.

On to Game 5.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Lundell’s goal was his first point of the postseason. He added an assist on Jones’ goal.

Marchand is up to three assists in four playoff games with Florida after notching a pair in Game 4.

Florida went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill, including a five-minute major, and is now 14-for-15 in the series when down a man.

Ekblad’s goal was his first since January 25.

Sasha Barkov has four assists in the four games so far this series.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

3 Florida Panthers Who Must Step Up In Game 4

Panthers look to take control of series with Tampa Bay in pivotal Game 4

Matthew Tkachuk hit on Jake Guentzel won't lead to disciplinary hearing, per report

Three takeaways: Game 3 had some good elements but ultimately got away from Panthers

Panthers falter on home ice in Game 3, Tampa Bay picks up first win of series