The Montreal Canadiens managed to slide by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round on the back of some excellent goaltending from Jakub Dobes and timely goal scoring from up and down the lineup. No one particular forward or defenseman took over. It was a team doing just enough to get by on the scoreboard as their netminder stood on his head.
It made for some entertaining hockey, but that just isn't a recipe for success in the long run in the NHL playoffs. Game 1 against the Buffalo Sabres was proof of that. Dobes had his worst game of the postseason, and the Canadiens lost 4-2.
The stars have started to come out for Montreal, though, which dramatically raises the team's ceiling as it presses on in the playoffs. Without the likes of Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki rolling, the Habs were going to run into scoring problems eventually. Alex Newhook has been a tremendous story for the team, but the Canadiens (probably) aren't going to make it to the Stanley Cup Final with him starring as their best forward.
Over the last two games, the Canadiens' top players have been just that, which would at least improve their odds in the Eastern Conference Final. There's still a lot of hockey left to be played--Lindy Ruff will have the Sabres ready to go for Game 4--but it's never too early to take a peek ahead at what would await Montreal should it advance.
The reward for beating the 106-point Lightning in the first round and the 109-point Sabres in the second? A date with the 113-point Carolina Hurricanes, who have yet to lose a game in the postseason. In fact, by the time the Eastern Conference Final kicks off, the 'Canes will have gone more than a month without losing a game in regulation.
Could a fully-loaded Canadiens topple the juggernaut Hurricanes?
If the second round came and went, and Montreal had continued to count on 35- to 40-plus save efforts from Dobes, the odds would have been against them being able to do much against Carolina. Only the Colorado Avalanche averaged more shots on goal than the Hurricanes during the regular season, and the Canadiens' defense would have been under a constant barrage of pressure.
That would still be the case. The Hurricanes have developed into a buzzsaw over the last few seasons, and this squad is the culmination of years of work by a front office that identifies players who fit perfectly and goes after them. Montreal has a pretty stellar collection of forwards as well, however. It just wouldn't have been enough if Caufield continued to struggle or if Suzuki didn't have any momentum.
It's probably too early to say that these forwards have snapped out of their slumps, too. Entering play on May 11, the Canadiens don't have a single player inside the top-20 point producers from these playoffs. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have a top-nine group of forwards that has been seemingly unstoppable for weeks now. Nikolaj Ehlers on the third line just seems unfair.
There have been glimmers of hope for Montreal over the last two games, though. Another big night from Caufield would likely be a massive boost to his confidence. Ivan Demidov has looked like the best player on the ice for flashes over the last two rounds. If he can find a bit more consistency--and if he can finally score that elusive first goal of the playoffs--that would be another massive plus for the Canadiens. Alex Newhook continuing to level up would be big as well.
They need to win two more games against a hungry Buffalo team to advance, but what is unfolding in these contests will have an impact on the Eastern Conference Final, regardless of who advances. In Montreal's case, seeing Caufield, Suzuki, and Lane Hutson popping up on the score sheet will only boost their odds of being able to hang with arguably the best team in hockey in the Hurricanes, should they move on past Buffalo.
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