The Habs and Hab Nots: Hurricanes Play Strong, Still Lose to Canadiens
Sometimes, a game just isn’t in the cards, no matter how hard you try. Tuesday, the Hurricanes were handed a […]
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Sometimes, a game just isn’t in the cards, no matter how hard you try. Tuesday, the Hurricanes were handed a 5-2 loss by the Montreal Canadiens…but not for a lack of effort. In the first period, the Hurricanes came out of the gate strong.
Nikolaj Ehlers gave Carolina the lead on the power play after just 2:36 had been played. Less than five minutes later, Jordan Staal extended the lead with yet another goal, notching his 18th of the season – a number he hasn’t reached since 2018. Before the frame ended, Oliver Kapanen managed a tip-in shot to halve the Hurricanes’ lead.
When the second period began, the Canadiens had more grit and grind than before, and Cole Caufield evened the score just over five minutes in, snapping in a rebound. Before the halfway mark, the loud, continuous horn blasted yet again as the puck squeaked behind Frederik Andersen. At first, it was believed to have been tipped off from Caufield’s stick, which led to ‘Cauffey’ chants in the Bell Centre once play resumed.
However, it was officially credited instead to Juraj Slafkovsky, who deflected it. Hurricanes Brick-walled by Canadiens’ Dobes The Hurricanes sustained pressure throughout the rest of the second period, and even had a five-on-three shorthanded chance from an unlikely pair in Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield, but were unable to put another goal on the board. Just need a moment to appreciate that during a 5-on-3 an unlikely pair got a great shorthanded chance: Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield #CarolinaCulture #GoHabsGo #NHL pic.