"Hab-ing a Bad Time": 2025-26 Regular Season, Game 71: Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens

The Hurricanes and the Canadiens don't like each other very much. If anything, the fans probably don't like each other more than the players do, but that's beside the point. On Tuesday, they met for the first time in almost three months, and a lot has changed since then. While points are valuable for both sides, the Canadiens are far more desperate than the Canes right now, especially with a playoff berth far from secure, as of now. However, the Hurricanes still have plenty to fight for. They have a good lead in the division, but that could disappear. They are locked into a battle for the #1 seed in the East with Buffalo, trying to secure home ice. The Presidents' Trophy isn't completely out of the picture yet, either, though it feels like it's Colorado's to lose. With two very dangerous offenses clashing, the Canes needed to be sharp at Centre Bell.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CAR (2:36-PP)- Nikolaj Ehlers (22) (Andrei Svechnikov (36) & Seth Jarvis (31))

CAR (7:09)- Jordan Staal (18) (unassisted)

MTL (12:11)- Oliver Kapanen (21) (Jayden Struble (10) & Ivan Demidov (39))

2nd Period

MTL (5:49)- Cole Caufield (44) (Nick Suzuki (62) & Juraj Slafkovsky (35))

MTL (9:19)- Juraj Slafkovsky (28) (Cole Caufield (32) & Noah Dobson (34))

3rd Period

MTL (13:53)- Ivan Demidov (15) (unassisted)

MTL (19:00-EN)- Jake Evans (11) (Alexandre Carrier (15))

My Thoughts

If I'm being completely honest and unbiased, the Carolina Hurricanes deserved better than what they got tonight. They jumped out to an early lead and kept pushing early in the game. They failed to add to their lead, and the Canadiens woke up late in the first. There are far more good things to point to than bad. The Canes won the battle on special teams. The power play scored again to open the night. The penalty kill was perfect against one of the league's best power plays, including a 39-second 5-on-3 chance in the second period. There are other smaller things to point to throughout the night. They just weren't rewarded with anything more substantial. I'm not any lower on this group than I was before the game began. It was just one of those nights.

Along with not getting more from their good starts, the Canes lost this game because they failed to contain Montreal's best players. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Ivan Demidov had a goal and an assist each. Oliver Kapanen scored a goal. Nick Suzuki and Noah Dobson each had an assist. They were real difference makers, allowing Montreal to come back. Conversely, Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov each had assists, and Nikolaj Ehlers scored a goal, but that was it. The top line was a combined -7, which equals the seven shots they had as a unit. The Miller-Walker pair had a tough game, with K'Andre Miller's turnover at the offensive blue line being the nail in the Canes' coffin. The Stankoven line wasn't much better, with all three finishing as a -2 for the night. That can't happen if the Canes expect to win.

I understand that 14 saves on 18 shots isn't good, but that's not an accurate depiction of Frederik Andersen's night. He allowed his four goals on a tip, a rebound, a double tip, and a breakaway off a turnover. Even if he stops one of them, the Canes didn't provide enough goal support to help his cause. I thought Andersen did his best work with his group down a goal. He made a big stop to get the Stankoven line off the ice after a 3-minute shift. He stoned Caufield on the power play at the horn in the second. He did what was required of him to keep his group in the game. It didn't help that his counterpart for Montreal was excellent. Jakub Dobes overcame an early hole to make 41 stops, and he made most of them look very easy. 

The rest of this time could be used to talk about all of the reasons why the Hurricanes won't get the job done this season. However, I don't think less of them now, so it would be a waste of time. In fact, tonight wasn't that bad a night, all things considered. The teams trying to chase them down didn't fare much better, with only Columbus picking up a win on a very busy night around the lead. Considering the Canes lost in regulation, having their lead in the division only shrink by one point isn't bad. They remain in control of their destiny in the Metropolitan Division, and they're about to spend a lot more time at home.

First Star of the Game: Nikolaj Ehlers

I don't think there was any question as to who the best Hurricane on the ice was tonight. It wasn't just that Nikolaj Ehlers scored another goal, or that he tied for the team lead with five shots. He was flying around the ice in Montreal. He had a few zone entries that looked way easier than they probably were. Ehlers has been incredible this month, with 15 points to show for it.

Around the League

Pittsburgh: After spanking the Avalanche in Denver last week, the Penguins had it returned to them tonight by Colorado, losing 6-2 on home ice without Evgeni Malkin.

Columbus: A lone bright spot on an otherwise tough night for the top of the Metro, the Blue Jackets held off a push from the Flyers to win, 3-2, and jump into second place in the division.

New York (I): The Islanders almost completed a comeback, but it fell short in a 4-3 loss on home ice to the Blackhawks, pushing them back under the cut-off line with an Ottawa win.

Current Standings

Carolina: 96 Points (11 GR)

Columbus: 87 Points (11 GR)

Pittsburgh: 86 Points (11 GR)

New York (I): 85 Points (10 GR)

Next Up: The Hurricanes won't play another game until Saturday, beginning a back-to-back at the Lenovo Center against the New Jersey Devils, who'll be without former Hurricanes Stefan Noesen and Brett Pesce. On Sunday, the Canes and the Habs will lock horns one last time. Montreal will also be in action on Saturday, making it a back-to-back for them as well. The team plays a home-and-home series next week with the Columbus Blue Jackets, playing in Columbus on Tuesday before welcoming the Jackets to Raleigh on Thursday.