The Penguins and Montreal were separated by 15 points in the Eastern Conference standings when the 2019-20 NHL season was suspended March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
That's a pretty striking number, but the season series between them generated a number that could be far more significant: One, which is the difference in the number of goals each team produced during their three meetings during the past winter.
And that difference-maker came in overtime, no less.
All of which matters because, at some point this summer, the Penguins and Canadiens are scheduled to meet in a best-of-five preliminary-round series to qualify for a spot in the traditional 16-club field that competes for the Stanley Cup.