The Hurricanes finally got over their Eastern Conference Finals slump on Saturday, notching their first win in the ECF at home since 2006 to tie the series 1-1.
After getting dominated in Game 1, all eyes were on the Canes to see how they would respond with their backs against the wall in a close to must-win game. And they delivered with a thrilling overtime win, with Nikolaj Ehlers scoring two goals — including the OT winner — to propel Carolina past the Canadiens, 3-2.
Tonight will be another test,
as the Canes travel to the Bell Centre, the mecca for hockey, to take on Montreal in Game 3 with a chance to wrestle back home ice advantage and take a 2-1 series lead. Despite the electric home atmosphere the Canadiens have, they are just 2-4 at the Bell Centre during the playoffs so far.
For what it’s worth, the Hurricanes have looked like the better team for the last four to five periods of hockey following Montreal’s four goal opening period in Game 1.
On Saturday, the Canes looked faster, were more physical and made the Habs look helpless at times. If it weren’t for the heroics of Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, overtime almost certainly wouldn’t have been needed.
Carolina slowed down Montreal’s top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovský, limiting the trio to a combined four shots. The Habs top line was also a -1 when on the ice.
Maybe the most eye opening stat was that Montreal managed only 12 shots on goal. Before Saturday, and through the first 15 games of the playoffs, the Canadiens were averaging 24.9 shots per game. Each of Montreal’s top four forwards, Caufield, Suzuki, Slafkovský and Ivan Demidov are top 20 in the playoff in total shots on net. Being able to limit those guys to only five total shots was huge for Carolina and something that has to continue in Game 3 and for the rest of the series.
It’s clear that one change, completely suffocating and limiting offensive chances and zone time for Montreal’s top two lines paid massive dividends. The Canes made it a depth game, something that favors them. While Habs third liner Josh Anderson still managed two goals in Game 2, if the series continues as a battle of the bottom sixes for offensive production, expect the ice to continue to tilt in Carolina’s direction.
Heading into tonight, there shouldn’t be any changes to Carolina’s lineup. Despite two rocky performances from Frederik Andersen to start the series, the 36 year old netminder has been a standout during the postseason and there’s no going away from him now.
With the Colorado Avalanche going down 3-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights on the other side of the bracket, the Canes can taste it. They are on the brink of getting over the hump that has eluded them in recent years.
But it’s still one game at a time, and right now the only thing that stands in the way of the Hurricanes’ third ever Stanley Cup appearance is the Montreal Canadiens.
Time: 8 PM Eastern
TV/Streaming: TNT/TruTV/HBO Max
Radio: 99.9 The Fan
Odds: Hurricanes -142 Moneyline, Hurricanes 1.5 at +176
