The Montreal Canadiens erased an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 at Bell Centre Tuesday night, reigniting momentum in their push for a playoff spot.
Trailing early, the Canadiens' top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky took over. Caufield scored twice, including the game-tying goal on a rebound, followed by a deflection off Slafkovsky’s knee two shifts later. The trio has combined for 96 goals this season-matching Nathan MacKinnon’s elite line in Colorado.
Jakub Dobes delivered a 42-save performance, including a critical breakaway stop late, finishing with a Goals Saved Above Expected of 2.41. Kaiden Guhle, Ivan Demidov, and Alexandre Texier also stood out.
Defensive pairings remain a concern. Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson struggled when matched against Carolina’s top unit, posting a 47% Expected Goals share together this season.
Prospects Michael Hage and Bryce Pickford are nearing their postseasons. Hage’s Michigan Wolverines earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, while Pickford set a WHL record for goals by a defenseman with 45.