Defenseman Kaiden Guhle scored twice to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in their season finale, clinching the final spot in the NHL's 16-team Stanley Cup playoff field.

Hallelujah! The Canadiens finally found a team they could beat — the Chicago Wolves. Yes, the fourth time proved to be the charm and the Canadiens are in the playoffs for the first time since 2021 following their 4-2 victory over the visiting Hurricanes Wednesday night at the Bell Centre.

The Canadiens will face the Washington Capitals, the No. 1 seed in the Metropolitan Division and the conference, in the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday. “We believe in each other, that we’re not just going to roll over against the first seed, so I’m excited for the opportunity,” said Suzuki, the Montreal captain.