Canadiens' Martin St. Louis sends an inspirational message to players, fans after elimination from 2025 NHL playoffs 

Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis sent an uplifting message to players and fans after the team was eliminated from the 2025 NHL playoffs. The Canadiens lost 4-1 to the Washington Capitals in Game 5 on Wednesday, falling in the best-of-seven series 4-1.

It was the Canadiens' first playoff appearance since 2021. The team ranked 31st in the league on Dec. 1 but rebounded with a 15-5-6 run after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. This stretch, filled with dramatic comebacks, clinched the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference for Montreal.

After the season ended, St. Louis offered inspirational words about the team's journey this year.

"The pain you feel now is normal, but it's not even close to the joy that's coming…" St. Louis said. "We can walk out of here with our heads held high. We didn’t leave any stone unturned."

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"I’m very proud of the group... It’s a privilege for me to coach the Montreal Canadiens," he added.

In the game, Emil Heineman scored Montreal's only goal while Jakub Dobes backstopped 24 shots. Brandon Duhaime, Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun found the back of the net for Washington, while Logan Thompson had 28 saves.

The Capitals have won their first playoff series since their 2018 Stanley Cup run and are now moving on to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.

Game Recap: Canadiens 4-1 loss to Capitals

Ovechkin put the Capitals first with a power-play goal at 9:12 of the first period, after winning a face-off.

Just a couple of minutes later, Jakob Chychrun doubled the lead. Pierre-Luc Dubois brought the puck out from behind the net and passed it to Chychrun, who scored with a quick shot by the left post to put them up 2-0.

Late in the second period, Tom Wilson added another power-play goal to make it 3-0. After a wild sequence in front — where Dobes lost his stick trying to stop John Carlson’s initial attempt — Wilson finally jammed the puck home following a scramble in the crease.

The Canadiens showed some fight early in the third, with Heineman tipping in Joel Armia’s centering pass to cut the deficit to 3-1 at 2:40.

Brandon Duhaime finished the game for a 4-1 win for Washington, scoring into an empty net with just 26 seconds left.