The Carolina Hurricanes are two-thirds of the way through a perfect road trip, needing one more victory in Montreal to make it home with six points in the bank. After a rousing overtime win in Toronto on Friday, the Canes smacked the Penguins, 5-1, in the Steel City on Sunday to win the season series with a trio of victories in just under two weeks over their division foe.
A big part of the victory on Sunday was the Hurricanes' power play. They converted on their first three attempts against the league's top penalty kill, finishing 3-for-5 in the game. Since December 6th, the Canes are rolling at 28.4 percent. They scored in three straight games and are operating at nearly 30 percent since coming back from the break. It has the team in the Top 10 in the league.
On the Other Side: Montreal Canadiens
Last meeting: The Hurricanes welcomed the Canadiens to Raleigh on New Year's Day, and defense was optional for all parties involved. The teams combined for 12 goals in the contest, with the Habs earning a 7-5 win at the Lenovo Center. Sebastian Aho recorded the second five-point performance of his career, scoring twice and assisting on Carolina's other three goals.
The Montreal Canadiens are in a very precarious spot. They are a very good team, but they're stuck in a dogfight that will determine whether or not they'll make the playoffs. Heading into tonight's contest with 86 points, the Canadiens are third in the division, owning the tiebreaker over the Bruins momentarily due to games played. Their spot in the playoffs is far from guaranteed.
If it were determined by the offensive prowess, the Canadiens would be locks. Nick Suzuki has ensured a point-per-game campaign with a team-high 61 assists and 85 points. They're coming off a lopsided 7-3 victory over the Islanders on Saturday. They have four players with more than 60 points while averaging the third-highest goals per game and power-play conversion.
Their defense is a different story. The Canadiens are 25th in goals allowed per game and 27th on the penalty kill. Their goaltending has been spotty at times. Jakub Dobes has gotten most of the starts and has been the best of the group, though his .893 save percentage doesn't inspire much confidence. Still, he's 10-3-0 since the start of the new year, and that's what matters most.
Canadiens to Watch
Cole Caufield: For the first time in over 30 years, the Canadiens have a 40-goal scorer. Caufield hit the mark for the first time in his career a week ago with the overtime winner against Boston. He celebrated by scoring a hat trick and adding two assists on Saturday against the Islanders. One of his 43 goals came in Raleigh on New Year's Day, and he'll look to add more to extend his point streak.
Juraj Slafkovsky: A testament to the idea of patience being a virtue, Slafkovsky has only improved his point totals over the last three seasons, reaching 60 points for the first time this season. He's second on the team with 27 goals, including a team-high 14 on the power play. Slafkovsky also had a big night against New York, scoring twice and providing two helpers.
Hurricanes to Watch
Jackson Blake: In a game featuring a ton of young talent, Blake's is a name that could fly under the radar. He has already surpassed his totals from a year ago, posting his first 20-20 season. However, Blake's production has been limited to strictly games against the Penguins lately. His last five points have come in their three wins over Pittsburgh. He needs to be more present in Montreal.
Jaccob Slavin: One player who was not available when the Canes and the Habs played their barn burner in January was one of the top defensemen in the game. It has been a really weird season for Slavin. He's yet to find a groove on offense, and his defense, while still good, hasn't been to his standard. It would be good to see a return to form for him down the stretch.