2007 – 08 Montreal Canadiens season The 2007 – 08 Montreal Canadiens season was the Canadiens ' 98th season of play and 90th in the National Hockey League . The Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins by four games to three in the Eastern Conference quarter - final before being eliminated four games to one by the Philadelphia Flyers in the Conference semi - final . Offseason events . Key dates prior to the start of the season : Regular season . Although some media picked the Canadiens to not make the playoffs , the team surprised the league with a large improvement in its play . The club won the Northeast Division title and placed first in the Eastern Conference . It was the team ' s first divisional title since the 1991 – 92 season . The team had not placed first in the Conference since the 1988 – 89 season . The Canadiens retired two jersey numbers during the season with pre - game ceremonies at the Bell Centre . On November 19 , 2007 , the number 19 of defenceman Larry Robinson , a former member of the Big Three , was retired . On February 23 , 2008 , the number 23 of forward Bob Gainey was retired . Game log . October . Record : 6 – 2 – 3 ; Home : 2 – 1 – 2 ; Road : 4 – 1 – 1 . November . Monthly record : 7 – 7 – 0 ; Home : 3 – 3 – 0 ; Road : 4 – 4 – 0 . < / br > Season record : 13 – 9 – 3 ; Home : 5 – 3 – 2 ; Road : 8 – 5 – 1 . December . Monthly record : 6 – 4 – 4 ; Home : 1 – 3 – 2 ; Road : 5 – 1 – 2 . < / br > Season record : 19 – 13 – 7 ; Home : 6 – 7 – 4 ; Road : 13 – 6 – 3 . January . Monthly record : 8 – 2 – 2 ; Home : 4 – 1 – 1 ; Road : 4 – 1 – 1 . < / br > Season record : 27 – 15 – 9 ; Home : 10 – 8 – 5 ; Road : 17 – 7 – 4 . February . Monthly record : 8 – 6 – 0 ; Home : 5 – 4 – 0 ; Road : 3 – 2 – 0 . < / br > Season record : 35 – 21 – 9 ; Home : 15 – 12 – 5 ; Road : 20 – 9 – 4 . March . Monthly record : 9 – 4 – 1 ; Home : 5 – 1 – 1 ; Road : 4 – 3 – 0 . < / br > Season record : 44 – 25 – 10 ; Home : 20 – 13 – 6 ; Road : 24 – 12 – 4 . April . Monthly record : 3 – 0 – 0 ; Home : 2 – 0 – 0 ; Road : 1 – 0 – 0 . < / br > Season record : 47 – 25 – 10 ; Home : 22 – 13 – 6 ; Road : 25 – 12 – 4 . Playoffs . The Montreal Canadiens clinched a playoff spot following a 7 – 5 victory against the Ottawa Senators on March 24 , 2008 , their 77th game of the season . They were the first team in the East to clinch a spot in the playoffs , won the Northeast Division , and finished first in the Eastern Conference with 104 points , their highest total since the 1988 – 89 NHL season . Eastern Conference Quarter - finals : vs . ( 8 ) Boston Bruins . The Montreal Canadiens earned the # 1 seed in the Eastern Conference by virtue of finishing with the highest point total in the conference . Some rioting occurred in downtown Montreal after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins in the seventh game of the quarter - finals and advanced to play in the semi - finals . Eastern Conference Semi - finals : vs . ( 6 ) Philadelphia Flyers . " * Player scoring winning goal is shown in italics . " Player stats . Skaters . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; + / - = Plus / minus ; PIM = Penalty minutes " Goaltenders . " Note : GP = Games played ; TOI = Time on ice ( minutes ) ; W = Wins ; L = Losses ; OT = Overtime losses ; GA = Goals against ; SO = Shutouts ; SV % = Save percentage ; SA = Shots against ; GAA = Goals against average " " * The team has also allowed 6 game losing shootout goals and 6 empty net goals . These goals do not count towards a goalie ' s personal statistics . Skaters . " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; + / - = Plus / minus ; PIM = Penalty minutes " Goaltenders . " Note : GP = Games played ; TOI = Time on ice ( minutes ) ; W = Wins ; L = Losses ; OT = Overtime losses ; GA = Goals against ; SO = Shutouts ; SV % = Save percentage ; SA = Shots against ; GAA = Goals against average " " * The team has also allowed 2 empty net goals . These goals do not count towards a goalie ' s personal statistics . Awards and records . Awards . Team awards . On April 5 , following the final home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs , the team announced it ' s award winners for the season . Transactions . The Canadiens have been involved in the following transactions during the 2007 – 08 season . Draft picks . Montreal ' s picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus , Ohio . Farm teams . Hamilton Bulldogs . The Hamilton Bulldogs remain Montreal ' s top affiliate in the American Hockey League in 2007 – 08 . Cincinnati Cyclones . Montreal has a joint affiliation with the Nashville Predators for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL in 2007 – 08 .