The Montreal Canadiens completed off their season-series sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, using a 34-save efficiency by Jakub Dorbes and a three-goal second interval explosion to a 3-1 win at Lenovo Center. Carolina outshot Montreal 35-18 and held a 1-0 lead after a dominant first interval.
For the second time in every week, the Canes watched the Canadiens convert on their possibilities, obtain elite goaltending, and stroll away with two factors.
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The first interval was classic Hurricanes hockey. The Canes peppered Dobes early and sometimes, constructing an 11-1 shot benefit within the opening body, and allowed only one five-on-five shot all the interval.
Andrei Svechnikov opened the scoring at 8:37 on the facility play, ripping a slap shot previous Dobes
Carolina took benefit of Montreal’s evident weak spot, and it was trying like a nice evening in Raleigh.
Then the second interval occurred.
Nick Suzuki tied the sport at 6:18, assisted by Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson. The Canes stored urgent, stored producing possibilities, however Dobes stopped every little thing.
At 17:32, Caufield buried a snap shot to provide Montreal their first lead. Then, with simply seven seconds left within the interval, Eric Robinson took a nasty tripping penalty. And simply eight seconds later, Suzuki wired a wrist shot with simply seven seconds within the second interval.
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Three objectives in simply over 13 minutes of recreation time, turning a 1-0 Carolina lead right into a 3-1 deficit. The Hurricanes generated 14 photographs that interval, however couldn’t discover the again of the online.
The third interval was scoreless. Carolina generated possibilities, however Dobes slammed the door on all of them. Frederik Andersen was pulled with about 4 minutes remaining for the additional attacker, however the Canes couldn’t capitalize.
Dobes stopped 34 of 35 photographs for a .971 save proportion, incomes first-star honors with an ideal efficiency. The Montreal protection deserves numerous credit score with 32 blocked photographs.
Over his final two begins towards Carolina, Dobes turned apart 75 of 78 photographs, good for a .962 save proportion. The Canes outshot the Habs 78-37, however have been outscored 8-3.
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On the opposite finish, Andersen allowed three objectives on simply 18 photographs. None of the objectives have been egregiously dangerous, however the optics are tough. In his final two begins towards Montreal, Andersen has surrendered seven objectives on 36 photographs.
The Canadiens are the one crew to beat the Hurricanes 3 times in regulation this season.
Losing a recreation you outshoot 35-18 is exasperating. Losing three video games to the identical opponent whereas outshooting them by a mixed 103-60 throughout the sequence warrants a severe look by the teaching workers, particularly if there’s potential for a primary or second spherical sequence towards this crew.
The Hurricanes have to generate higher-quality possibilities somewhat than counting on quantity, and their goaltending wants to come back up huge in video games the place the opponent’s netminder is stealing the present.
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The silver lining, if you happen to’re on the lookout for one, is that Carolina’s Metropolitan Division lead is 9 factors with 9 to go.
Staff author Al Hood was on the scene within the Lenovo Center, so take a look at his postgame notes from the press field and locker room.
The Canes are again in motion on Tuesday in Columbus.