It’s been two long years of losses, two long years of (mostly) moral victories, two long years of looking at the standings from the bottom up instead of the top down, two unprecedented years in well over a century of Canadiens hockey, and they’re finally running their course.

Instead of sulking, Joel Armia made the most of his time in the AHL. The Canadiens forward was rewarded for his impressive climb back by being named the club's Bill Masterton Trophy nominee.

The Montreal Canadiens' loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning not only mathematically eliminated them from the playoffs, it shined a light on their low floor, one of the main reasons they're out of the race in the first place.

When Josh Anderson receives this year's team photo, commemorating the most forgettable season of his career, he should see a group of people who will do anything to support his quest to bounce back next year.

The Canadiens have many more steps to take to get to the destination, but their commitment level is undeniable and it’s bolstering their confidence they will eventually arrive. That they will eventually become a team like the Hurricanes.

The Canadiens not only gifted Martin St. Louis a win on the night of his return — they gave reinforcement that the work they've put in has seen them progress both as a group and individually.

It was only the Montreal Canadiens’ third win in 10 games of March, and it ended up being a soul-soothing, nerve-calming, goal-filled affair.