MONTREAL -- There was to be no long, giddy playoff ride this season for the Montreal Canadiens. A surprising regular season that saw them go from last in the NHL Eastern Conference a year ago to second place with a 29-14-5 record in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign came to a crashing halt in the playoffs. The Canadiens were ousted in only five games by the seventh-seeded Ottawa Senators, losing the final game in a 6-1 blowout on home ice on Thursday night. Players looked to be in shock after the game that it could be over so soon. "Its a heartbreaker," said winger Max Pacioretty. "A couple of bounces the other way and we come into (Game 5) up 3-1." While the Canadiens felt they outplayed Ottawa in all but Game 3 -- a fight-filled 6-1 defeat -- they were outscored 20-9 in the series, including 13-0 in third periods and one overtime period. The NHLs fourth-best attack in the regular season (3.04 goals per game) outshot Ottawa 172-147 in the series, but couldnt solve goaltender Craig Anderson or the big defencemen who cover the front of his net. At the other end, shots that probably shouldnt have gone in squeaked past Carey Price, who suffered a suspected groin injury late in Game 4. Backup Peter Budaj was lit up for six goals on 29 shots in the series finale. The story of the series played out in Game 1, when Montreal fired 50 shots at Anderson but lost the game 4-2. They also lost centre Lars Eller, who left behind a pool of blood as he was stretchered to an ambulance after an open-ice hit from Eric Gryba, who was suspended two games. Forwards Brian Gionta, Brandon Prust and Ryan White also didnt finish the series with injuries, while Pacioretty missed Game 2 but toughed it through the rest despite a separated shoulder. "The last two weeks we had a lot of bad luck," said coach Michel Therrien. "But our approach since Day 1 was that that was not an excuse. "And I dont think the players used that as an excuse because every game, the way they prepared themselves and the way they started the games, I could tell that was not an excuse." Now Canadiens management has to figure out what went wrong and what changes are needed for next season. Montreal made wholesale changes after the 2011-12 debacle, replacing general manager Pierre Gauthier with Marc Bergevin. He brought in a new front office, extra support staff and new coaches, led by Therrien. The team got better for many reasons, starting with remaining relatively healthy through the 48-game regular season. Big strides were made by developing players like Norris trophy candidate P.K. Subban and physical defenceman Alexei Emelin, whose injury late in the season looked to disrupt the entire defence, especially his regular partner Andrei Markov. It would not be a surprise if Bergevin went looking for more size and muscle at the back end this summer. The teams most pleasant surprise was the play of rookie forwards Alex Galchenyuk, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, and small but gritty Brendan Gallagher, a Calder Trophy nominee after a 15-goal season. "Those two kids progressed all season long," said Therrien. "Even in the last month, they were a big factor to the team. I was really impressed with how they played in the playoffs." Six-foot-six defenceman Jarred Tinordi also emerged late in the season and the playoffs as another promising rookie, while more blue-line talent awaits in the AHL in Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn. Bergevin may also want more height and weight on his forward lines, where Gionta, Gallagher, Tomas Plekanec and David Desharnais all fall in the smaller-than-average category. His addition of tough free agent Prust last summer was a hit, and the GM is likely to want more like him. The Canadiens have 18 regulars signed for next season and may increase their cap space to the $9 million range if, as expected, they buy out unused rearguard Tomas Kaberles final year at $4.2 million and if unrestricted free agent Michael Ryder, who makes $3.5 million, signs elsewhere. Fourth-liner Colby Armstrong ($1 million), Jeff Halpern ($700,000), Petteri Nokelainen ($575,000) and defenceman Davis Drewiske ($616,000) can also be UFAs. Their restricted free agents include White, who they will likely re-sign, and defenceman Yannick Weber, who they likely wont, as well as prospects Michael Blunden and Gabriel Dumont. Despite the playoff setback, the Canadiens looked to have taken a step forward this season and should take another if, as expected, Galchenyuk emerges as a top points producer at centre and other young players like Gallagher and Eller continue to progress. 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Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Air Jordan 11 Shoes For Sale . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. SEATTLE -- David Crisp made all four of his 3-pointers down the stretch and scored 26 points to lead Washington to a 94-88 win over Long Beach State on Tuesday night.The Huskies (3-1) failed to connect on their first 13 3-pointers -- meanwhile the 49ers (1-5) made 10-of-17 from range -- but it was the 3-ball that sealed the victory for Washington, which sank its final eight. UW forced back-to-back turnovers with less than six minutes to play, and Matisse Thybulle followed each with a 3-pointer as the Huskies turned a two-point deficit into a 75-68 lead with 5:10 to play.It just wasnt falling, but in the first half, we were guarding, Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said. That allowed us to stay in the game. We talked to our team about it: The shots arent always going to go in.The second half, we did start making shots and I think we forgot about playing defense at that point. Our identity shifted all of a sudden, where we had an offensive mindset.Crisp made four from behind the arc en route to his career-high and Markelle Fultz added 21 points. The guards picked up the slack in the second half from Noah Dickerson, had 17 of his career-high 23 points in the first half and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.Once he makes one 3, I think David, he can just go up from there, said Fultz, who also dished out six assists. Thats what he does. He makes big shots at big times.The Huskies didnt lead for the first 17 minutes but went on a 14-2 run -- eight from Dickerson -- near the end of the half to lead 36-32 at the break.Evan Payne led Long Beach State with 19 points and Noah Blackwell added 12, making 4 of 5 behind the arc.BIG PICTURELong Beach State: The 49ers can see the light at the end of the tunnnel.dddddddddddd Tuesdays game against Washington ended a stretch of contests against Wichita State, North Carolina, Louisville and UCLA. All resulted in losses, but Long Beach State played their best game of the stretch in the last game.Washington: Despite what the score against a 1-5 team might indicate, the Huskies played their most complete game of the season. If not for a team of hands that went collectively cold and vice versa for their opponents, the Huskies would have walked away with a decisive win over a team they battled closely in last seasons NIT. Instead, Washington relied on Dickersons best game since arriving on campus and a stellar defensive performance, forcing the 49ers to make shots with hands in their faces, which for the most part, they did.REMATCHTuesdays game featured a repeat of the first round of the NIT last season. The No. 3-seeded Huskies prevailed in a track meet, 107-102. Of the six players to score in double figures in last years meeting only the 49ers Justin Bibbins (17 points, four assists) remained for the rematch.Theyve played us very tough in the past, Romar said. It seems like whenever we play Long Beach State, the games are close. . We knew that they would come out here and play well.UP NEXT:Long Beach State: The 49ers will be seeking their first win since the season-opener as they travel to Fort Myers, Fla., to play Binghamton in the Battle4Atlantis Mainland on Thursday.Washington: The Huskies head to Las Vegas for their first games away from home this season, playing Western Kentucky to open the Global Sports MTE on Friday. ' ' '