3 Thoughts About the Canadiens 6-2 Win Over the Hurricanes
The Montreal Canadiens didn’t just beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 Thursday night. They completely took control of a hockey game that most people expected them to survive, not dominate. And honestly, that’s the biggest takeaway of all. Carolina had been sitting, resting, and waiting for this Eastern Conference Final opener. Montreal came in battle-tested after two emotional seven-game series.
Conventional hockey wisdom said fatigue would eventually show up for the Canadiens. Instead, they looked faster, calmer, and more connected than the Hurricanes for most of the night.
Here are three thoughts about why Montreal won.
Thought One: This Canadiens’ Team Stays True to Its Identity.
One thing that really stood out was Montreal’s patience. Martin St. Louis’ group never panicked, even after Carolina scored just 33 seconds into the game. Lesser teams might have tightened up immediately in that building. Montreal did the opposite. Cole Caufield answered almost instantly. And from there, the Canadiens settled into their structure.
What made it impressive was how connected the Habs looked as they broke the puck out of their own zone. They weren’t forcing risky “quick-up” plays under pressure. They waited. They supported each other low in the zone. Then they attacked together with speed through the neutral zone.
That sequence late in the third period perfectly captured it. The Canadiens slowed everything down, waited for support, and completely sucked the life out of Carolina’s comeback push. You could almost feel the Hurricanes getting frustrated because Montreal never gave them the chaos they wanted.
Thought Two: Jakub Dobeš Continues to Look Completely Unshaken.
At this point, Jakub Dobeš isn’t just a nice playoff story anymore. He’s becoming one of the biggest reasons the Canadiens are still alive in the postseason.
Carolina pushed hard in the second period and had moments where the game could have flipped. But Dobeš stayed calm through all of it. That kind of composure separates good playoff goalies from great ones. He doesn’t seem emotionally rattled by momentum swings, bad bounces, or pressure moments.
And when the Canadiens needed a save to stop Carolina from turning the game into a one-goal battle, Dobeš made it. That’s becoming a pattern now. The scary part for opponents is that he still looks fresh. No panic. No fatigue. No overreaction. Just steady positioning and confidence.
Thought Three: Are the Hurricanes in Trouble Because the Canadiens’ Top Players Finally Took Over?
The Canadiens’ big line was outstanding. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovský combined for eight points and completely drove the game offensively. Suzuki especially looked like a captain taking over a playoff game. He was physical, smart defensively, dominant in the faceoff circle, and controlled the pace whenever he was on the ice.
Slafkovský played in beast mode, and he’s looking like he can’t be stopped. Carolina simply couldn’t handle his combination of size, patience, and puck protection. When he’s engaged like that, Montreal becomes incredibly difficult to defend because the Canadiens suddenly have both speed and power in the same attack.
Who Would Have Guessed the Young Canadiens Were This Capable?
Finally, and most importantly, the Habs didn’t look overwhelmed by the moment. They looked like a team that believes it belongs here. And after this performance, that belief is starting to look pretty justified. That’s just good coaching.
Now the trick for Montreal is to do it again — and again — and again. Because if they can, they are in the Stanley Cup Final. Who would have guessed?