First period
- Must be lots of Joel Armia fans in Carolina because they just cheered loudly when he put the first shot of the game on Frederik Andersen.
- Martin Necas makes a pass over the net, but it hits the intended target in the chest. So that’s a waste of a trick play.
- Looks like we’re in for another good game from the second line. Joshua Roy beats another goalie with his quick release from the top of the circle. Goals in back-to-back games for him, and eight points in 18 games.
- Jesse Ylonen hooks Necas on the way to the net, and Necas skates through Samuel Montembeault to finish the chance. Both forwards end up with minor penalties.
- Nick Suzuki just walks to the top of the crease through three Hurricanes defenders, gets two shots, and draw a penalty.
- On the four-on-three power play, Mike Matheson slaps a pass to Suzuki’s stick, and and the puck just glances off the post.
- The second unit adds even more shots with a couple of nice looks.
- The crowd cheers when the power play ends. I guess they’re fans of really dangerous offensive chances.
- Montreal executes a switch at the blue line between Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovský poorly, and that allows Brady Skjei to get right to the slot and tie the game.
- Carolina is using quick passes trying to shake some coverage, and it is working as the Habs aren’t sure who should follow what.
- Suzuki hits another post. He’s this game’s Alex Newhook.
- The period comes to a close with Jesper Fast stepping into Newhook’s way as Newhook is trying to get to a puck. The interference is let go, and Newhook is called for holding. Some really questionable officiating for a second consecutive game.
Second period
- Suzuki’s short-handed forecheck results in a holding penalty. The refs owed one to Montreal.
- Caufield hits the post at the tail end of the power play. A third one tonight for the Habs.
- Caufield seems to have recovered enough from his minor injury to get back into the cycling game, but now Slafkovský’s issue is taking him out of the fight.
- The Hurricanes are very good as selling light contact with the defenders as the reason they make contact with the goaltender. Montembeault is getting bumped constantly.
- So far this is the best start to a second period of the four on this trip.
- But they are having to resort to stretch passes for their breakouts.
- Carolina is literally hanging on for dear life with the Suzuki line on the ice. None of the numerous infractions get called.
- Armia decides to play Carolina’s game by toppling over Andersen.
- Please stop attacking Jake Evans’s head. It’s not worth the minor penalties. That man was your teammate for a week, Sebastian Aho.
- Not a very dangerous power play for Montreal.
- That bites the Habs as Stefan Noesen scores with less than 30 seconds to play. A good period, but the Montreal trails anyway.
Third period
- Roy collects his own rebound and backhands it into the net, but Newhook had made contact with Andersen after missing the rebound first.
- Anderson gets a takeaway and heads off on a two-on-one, he decides to shoot, but right into Andersen’s glove.
- Andersen robs Brendan Gallagher on two point-blank chances.
- It’s been a great start to this period for Montreal.
- Why do the Hurricanes complain about every penalty? Jalen Chatfield couldn’t have tripped Joel Armia any more cleanly than he just did.
- Montembeault stops Seth Jarvis on a sort-handed breakaway.
- Carolina had all of the chances on that penalty.
- Guhle throws his man to the ice, and that’s the end of that cycle. When he has the leverage, he can throw opponents around.
- When the Hurricanes get set up, Montreal has a hard time getting the puck back. It’s the only time (other than that last PK) that Carolina looks like the better team, and it happens about three shifts a period. The most recent one ends with Gallagher going to the box for tripping.
- The penalty-kill structure holds well for the full two minutes to keep Carolina to the perimeter.
- Montreal can’t touch the puck now. Carolina has played keepaway for about two minutes. No shots, but minutes draining off the clock.
- And after all that, the Hurricanes take a penalty eight seconds into their power play. We’ll have a couple of minutes of four-on-four. Now there’s a lot more room to play keepaway,
- Instead they get a breakaway as Caufield loses his man, and Skjei scores his second of the night.
- Montembeault goes to the bench with 90 seconds to play.
- If a few of those shots off the post had gone, it would have been a different game. But Montreal looked good, with the same to-do list on winning pucks in their own zone.
- Andrei Svechnikov gets his goal to make it a 4-1 final.
Overtime?
- Not tonight. The Habs drop their first game in regulation since February 24.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) That organization can keep its grubby little hands away
2) This guy, however….
1) Merry Trade Deadline Eve, everyone!
