With the playoffs assured, the final stage for the Montreal Canadiens is to finish strong in preparation for the most important games of the season. The Canadiens are defending too much these days, getting regularly outshot and out-chanced.

While thoughts are on milestones being reached, for the organization, they’re focused on Montreal playing its best hockey. The Canadiens are in a low energy moment and they almost lost to the Florida Panthers in regulation, but some late heroics forced overtime before a shootout produced a 4-3 win.

Wilde Horses

There was only one standout on the entire roster in this one for the longest time: Ivan Demidov. He was a magician with the puck at times, making world-class moves. The crowd was a chorus of oohs and aahs; Demidov was so exciting to watch. His head coach recognized it as Demidov led the club in ice time for the first two frames, which hasn’t happened this season.

It was Demidov who got the Canadiens on the board as deserved. It was a power play marker as Cole Caufield fed it across ice, where Demidov wired it home. It was one of only two solid chances in the first two periods.

The other good look was Phillip Danault stealing it and feeding Josh Anderson for a tip-in, but he directed it right into Daniil Tarasov’s pads for the save. That was it for 40 full minutes. In the third, early, Danault counted for 2-2, but it didn’t look like anything good was going to happen.

That was until Lane Hutson showed why he is one of the most exciting players in hockey. With 20 seconds left, it was Hutson by himself deciding to take on three Panthers, and he beat them all. The goalie bit on his last move, but he was already behind the net.

Hutson kept his head and fed Nick Suzuki for the late tying marker as the Bell Centre absolutely erupted. It went to overtime. Montreal finally played some inspired hockey in the extra five, but couldn’t convert.

It went to a skills competition where the Canadiens had more skills. Caufield went five-hole with his effort for a goal, then Alexandre Texier made a perfect shot under the bar for two-for-two. A third shot wasn’t even needed as Jakub Dobes stopped both of the Florida efforts.

This was hardly pretty, but a good team found a way.

Wilde Goats

The Canadiens picked a poor time to get somewhat out of sync. This is the first time all season that they are playing low-event hockey for an extended period. They don’t seem to have much energy, and they’re unable to generate a good forecheck, or a good cycle.

The fact that two players were healthy and rested and added to the lineup should have provided a spark, but it didn’t. The line switching didn’t ignite the second line at all as Texier had a poor game. Texier wasn’t committed to the task, physically hinting that he’s not sure that he is fully healed.

Oliver Kapanen moved to the fourth line, which he likely took as a slap in the face. However, it’s not a surprise at all as he has been looking fatigued in the last quarter of the campaign. Offensively, the Canadiens played 116 minutes of hockey between goals. That’s the longest stretch all season.

The real issue on the night, though, from a goals-allowed perspective was Arber Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom. The partnership was on for both goals against. Engstrom was the goat on the first goal and Xhekaj the goat on the second goal.

Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle are missed. Thankfully, for the head coach, both will be back for the playoffs. They need their energy to be back for the playoffs. The Devils Sunday was understandable with six games in nine nights, but this one will concern the organization more: They were rested. They were ready, but they need to bring more pace in the four games that are left.

Wilde Cards

Difficult decisions of the best kind are in the future for Head Coach Martin St. Louis. When he has a healthy roster, he won’t be sure what his starting lineup should look like for the playoffs.

Historically, head coaches choose experience. However, St. Louis may not be cut from the same cloth as his predecessors. This morning, after practice, there was a hint that he could choose the best players regardless of pedigree.

The most difficult choice is obvious. Brendan Gallagher has been a warrior for the Canadiens for 14 years. However, he is likely not one of the best 12 forwards on the Canadiens presently. In order of strength on the top two lines: Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Demidov, Kapanen, Newhook. That’s the easy part.

In order of strength on the next two lines: Evans, Dach, Texier, Danault, Anderson, Bolduc, Veleno, Gallagher. That order of strength is fluid. On any given night, that list can rotate from almost top to bottom.

It may come down to the opponent. Against the Buffalo Sabres, more brawn will be required against a big team. Against the Tampa Bay Lightning, more experience may be required against a team that is savvy and plays on gamesmanship to get their opponents off-balance.

Gallagher drawing in against the Sabres is more difficult to imagine than drawing in against the Lightning. Perhaps, if penalty killing becomes important and forechecking as well, then Veleno is a strong choice.

If it comes down to raw skill to finish plays throughout the lineup, and if balanced scoring wins the day, then Dach and Texier are needed most. Faceoffs will always be key, so Danault would never leave the lineup.

One can attack this from a number of ways. It’s not written in stone for this head coach who sees action and who doesn’t.

However, if they head into the playoffs with 14 healthy forwards, the best guess here is Gallagher and Veleno will sit. That almost seems impossible, but there it is.

It’s a good problem to have, but it sure is open to second guessing as well.

Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.