The Montreal Canadiens entered Game 4 down 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes after losing two straight overtime games in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the Hurricanes had the momentum, the Canadiens had shown they were a resilient group for most of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the Hurricanes really never gave them much of a chance in this game and were in control almost from start to finish. They would score three straight over a three minute period and the Canadiens could never really get anything going from that point.
These are four takeaways from Game 4 as the Montreal Canadiens fall behind the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 in the series.
3 goals in less than 3 minutes cost the Canadiens Game 4 and might have cost them the series
For the fourth straight game in this series, the Carolina Hurricanes would score first, but unlike the first three, it took them much longer than the prior games, with Sebastian Aho scoring a power play goal 14:59 into the period. While not ideal, this is something the Canadiens have shown they can navigate and get back into the game.
Unfortunately, in Game 4, the Canadiens didn't show the same resiliency as the Hurricanes would score not one but two more goals shortly after that first goal. In fact, all three goals were scored in less than 3 minutes of game time, and from that point on, the Hurricanes were in complete control.
There is no question that, in what felt like a must-win, it was disappointing to see the Canadiens come out as flat as they did. It didn't feel like they had any answers to stopping the Hurricanes or creating their own scoring chances.
Canadiens let their frustration get the better of themselves in the second period
While the Hurricanes were unable to score any goals in the second period, it was clear that frustration was starting to set in for Montreal. They were taking careless penalties and had three called in the period, with two called only 16 seconds apart.
The first penalty was a cross-checking penalty by Mike Matheson, which was just unnecessary with the play moving away. Then, shortly after that, Phillip Danault compounded the mistake with a cross-check on Jordan Staal after a faceoff when Staal was on the ice.
Fortunately, the Canadiens surprisingly were able to kill off a 5-on-3 opportunity that Carolina had for over 1:30. However, when down three goals, teams can't afford to give these kinds of chances to the opposition.
Canadiens have only three shots on goal in the third period
There is no question that it has become increasingly difficult for fans watching this series as the Montreal Canadiens continue to struggle to get shots on net. After 22 shots on goal in Game 1, the Canadiens had 12 in Game 2 and 13 in Game 3, and while that total was higher in Game 4, it wasn't much as they finished with only 18.
What might be even more concerning than just the lack of total shots for a game, the Canadiens' offense almost disappears in the third period. In Game 3, the Canadiens had only one shot in the third period, and followed it up in Game 4 with no shots through roughly the first 17 minutes of the third period. They would end up finishing the period with three shots on goal.
This was certainly something the Canadiens should have tried to emphasize after Game 2 and Game 3, but with another performance with limited shots, it is hard to imagine it can be fixed.
Jakub Dobes did all he could to keep the Montreal Canadiens in this game
While the Canadiens would lose by three goals, it could have been a lot worse if it weren't for Jakub Dobes. He would finish the game with 39 saves on 42 shots, which was the most he had faced in a single game in these playoffs.
The rookie goaltender made some huge saves in the second and third periods to keep the game somewhat in reach, like midway through the third period when he stopped Seth Jarvis on a breakaway. However, it didn't really matter as the Canadiens could not get anything going on the other end of the ice.
The Eastern Conference Finals now shift back to Carolina for Game 5, and the Montreal Canadiens will now need a win if they hope to keep their season alive.
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