The Montreal Canadiens are in the thick of a hard-fought playoff series, and as the action heats up, so do the storylines. From lineup debates to officiating drama, here's what you need to know from Wednesday's Habs and NHL news.

Looking to create more chaos around the net and generate second-chance scoring opportunities, the Canadiens might want to consider inserting veteran Brendan Gallagher back into the lineup. His gritty, net-front presence could be exactly what they need to disrupt the Sabres' crease and spark some much-needed offensive pressure.

Despite dropping Game 4, the Habs have outshot and outscored the Sabres at 5-on-5 through the first four games of the series. Special teams will undoubtedly play a crucial role in the final three contests, but Montreal is in a relatively healthy position as they look to regain control. As one headline aptly put it, the Canadiens "hold destiny in their hands" against Buffalo.

The officiating, however, has become a hot topic. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff suggested after Game 4 that some Canadiens players were "going down a little too easy." Habs head coach Martin St-Louis fired back with a smirk, asking, "Is he talking about his team too?" While Montreal may have gotten a few favorable calls, it's also fair to say the Sabres' discipline has been questionable at best—think high-sticking infractions every few shifts that make the referees' jobs almost too easy. Blatant, useless penalties leave little room for debate.

In other NHL news, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer took home the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, edging out Canadiens freshman Ivan Demidov. While Schaefer's 23-goal season as an 18-year-old blueliner is impressive, Demidov had a stellar campaign of his own. He led all rookies in scoring with 62 points in 82 games, finishing a strong second in the voting.