COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Even though the Blue Jackets didn’t play on Monday, they still inched closer to claiming the final spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Blue Jackets are one of two teams competing for that final spot, the other being the Montreal Canadiens.

The Canadiens, after Monday night, sit at 89 points through 81 games. The Blue Jackets sit at 85 points through 80 games.

How the Blue Jackets can make the playoffs

The Blue Jackets will need help from the Canadiens to secure a playoff spot.

Columbus got some of the help they needed on Monday night when Montreal lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. However, because the Canadiens lost in a shootout rather than in regulation, they still gained one point, making the Blue Jackets path a little tougher.

The Jackets can make the playoffs if they win their final two games, but because the Canadiens still gained a point on Monday, both of the Blue Jackets wins must be in regulation.

In addition to winning their final two games in regulation, they still need Montreal to lose its final game in regulation.

Because of NHL tiebreakers, if both Columbus and Montreal are tied at 89 points at the end of the regular season, the Blue Jackets would need have to have more regulation wins than the Canadiens, which they can do by winning their last two in regulation.

Heading into Tuesday’s games, the Canadiens had 29 regulation wins and the Blue Jackets 28.

How the Blue Jackets can be eliminated from the playoffs

If the Canadiens win their final game, the Blue Jackets would be eliminated.

Columbus would also be eliminated if it loses either of their final two games or if it requires overtime or a shootout to win. Although the Jackets would still earn two points for the win, they would then lose the tiebreaker to the Canadiens, who currently have more regulation wins.

In a situation where the Blue Jackets and Canadiens both finish with the same number of points and the same number of regulation wins, the next tiebreaker is regulation and overtime wins, where the Canadiens hold a 37-32 advantage.

If the Canadiens’ final game goes to overtime or a shootout, they would earn a point, putting them at 90 points, even with a loss. The Blue Jackets can only get to 89 points and would be eliminated.

The final games

The Blue Jackets play Tuesday night at the Philadelphia Flyers and finish the season Thursday at Nationwide Arena against the New York Islanders. The Canadiens play their final game of the season on Wednesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.