On Monday night the Eastern Conference Final moved to Montreal with the Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes tied at one. The result was a 3-2 overtime loss for the Habs.
Here’s what caught my eye.
The offensive D-men were on.
The Canes forecheckers are determined to pound the Habs defenders and it’s a tough environment to move the puck. Matheson was targeted early and managed to pop back up and get a shot off. That was before he wired one home to tie the game at one in the first period.
It’s become clear that targeting Lane Hutson is a key part of Carolina’s game plan, and they’re not fussed if they injure him. Hutson knows it, and that was obvious from his reaction when he scored off the give and go with Caufield. Pay ‘em back where it hurts, Lane.
Unfortunately, it was a Hutson giveaway on the overtime goal, following a high elbow that resulted in no call.
The Guhle-Carrier pair did not have a good night.
The foreshadowing came early in the game with the pair hemmed in their own zone and completely unable to clear the puck. It didn’t get much better as the game progressed, from a puck moving perspective, and they were on the ice for both regulation goals. They did make some great blocks late in the game, but in a perfect world this pair is not a thing.
The Canes took a page from Buffalo’s playbook.
I’m too lazy to check my notes, but how many games in to the second round did we make it before Malenstyn tried to injure Dobes? The Canes made it to Game 3. The intention was as transparent as the window the crows flew into in the old Windex commercial.
Evans really should have made that penalty worth it. That call was a joke.
If the Habs are to have a chance in this series, they have to generate more chances.
Carolina is always going to win the shots on goal. That goes without saying. They’ll shoot from the LeCage urinals. But 12 shots after 74 minutes is just not on. They have not made the adjustment.
This is not “bend but don’t break”. This is failure to adjust to the game in front of them, to use Marty speak. Now it’s up to the coach to draw up the plan for Game 4.
Go Habs Go!
Hab At Her 