RALEIGH, NC – In the first game of a five-game homestand and the beginning of three spectacular days of hockey, the Carolina Hurricanes solidified their place in hockey superiority with a 6-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
On the strength of a Seth Jarvis hat trick, his NHL career first and 20 saves on 22 shots from goaltender Antti Raanta, the Hurricanes inched closer to league-leading Boston.
On a night where Cam Ward was honored after election to the team Hall of Fame, joining automatic selections Glen Wesley, Ron Francis and Rod Brind‘Amour, the current version honored the past with a dominating offensive attack.
But before the game, the Hurricanes were the recipients of a Hall of Fame gesture from Montreal coach Martin St. Louis, recently minted inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame. St. Louis acquiesced to the pre-game ceremony and committed his team to a respectful presence as they sat on their bench, witnessing the honor instead of taking solace in their visiting dressing room.
It was a unique display from a team and in a sport where combative, violent behavior on the ice is accompanied by tremendous respect among participants. It was a moving experience.
Carolina entered the game 35-10-8 for 78 points, good for 1st in the Metropolitan Division, 3 points ahead of New Jersey, and 2nd overall in the NHL, just 7 points behind Boston.
Meanwhile, Montreal arrived at PNC Arena in Raleigh at 23-27-4, good for 50 points and in the cellar of the Atlantic Division, merely just trying to survive the season.
Tonight’s inductee, Ward took his post just prior to puck drop and initiated the storm warning, the cranking of the siren which whipped Caniacs into a frenzy.
The game was set to begin, and it didn’t take long for a lamp to be lit.
Just 3:24 into the period on an innocent advance up ice, Montreal’s Rem Pitlick fed teammate Michael Pezzetta on the left side. Pezzetta fired a shot which Anti Raanta confidently handled with his blocker, but the shooter swatted the puck out of the air and past the Hurricanes goaltender, allowing Montreal to take the early lead. It was Pezzetta’s 4th of the season
About three minutes later, Montreal was on the attack again when John Anderson fired a one-timer which Raanta calmly directed into the corner with his right pad. It was an important save and it seemed to ignite a change in the Hurricanes play after seeing the visitors were taking it to the home team.
Former Canadiens sniper Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored to tie the game on a beautiful feed from Martin Necas and an earlier advance from star blueliner Brent Burns. The game was tied.
It was just the beginning of a momentum-building process for Carolina.
Not long after the game was tied, Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov pulled the puck off the boards and fed Sebastian Aho in the right corner. Aho then found a waiting Seth Jarvis, 9th of the season.
The Hurricanes tightened up a porous defense which led to several excellent, early changes by Montreal, holding the Canadiens to just 7 shots on goal to this point and not a single chance in the final 9 minutes of the opening period.
With 3:41 remaining, the game first goal scorer, Montreal’s Pezzetta, was sent off for hooking. The Hurricanes took the man advantage, but could not convert.
The period ended with a decided edge with Carolina leading in shots 17-8 and with the 2-1 lead.
In the middle frame, both teams traded chances to open the period. Montreal gained the edge in those chances and the pressure generated led to their first power play when 6:43 into the middle frame, Kotkaniemi was called for holding Montreal’s Evgeni Dadonov in front of the Canadiens bench.
Montreal had two great chances, but couldn’t get any of them past Raanta.
Just after the expired penalty, Carolina again started on the attack. Brent Burns just missed the low left corner of the net with a drive that brushed the outside of the post. Then Kotkaniemi sent a solid drive onto Montembeault’s left pad, but the Montreal goaltender handled it cleanly.
Then with 13:54 remaining in the second period, Andrei Svechnikov pursued Montreal defenseman Justin Barron on the forecheck, to the point where it led him toward trouble along the half wall. Svechnikov addressed Barron with a cross check from behind and into the boards.
It sent Montreal on the power play and the Canadiens would make the most of it.
Montreal’s Joel Armia had the puck along the side boards, dished it off to Mike Hoffman who was behind the net. Hoffman slipped the puck to Rafael Harvey-Pinard in front and he didn’t miss on Raanta’s far side. It was his 7th of the season.
With just more than two minutes to play, Carolina’s Martin Necas found himself in front Montembeault and tried a between the legs shot while skating backward toward the Montreal goal. It was not to be and the Hurricanes applied continued pressure until time expired in the period.
After two periods, Carolina held the edge in scoring chances 17-10 and nearly double the time of offensive zone possession, 3:57 to 2:03. Shots were a little tighter in the period, still Carolina, though, at 12-8, but the Hurricanes held the two-period shot lead 29-15 in the 2-2 game.
The final frame saw Carolina hoping to propel some early activity into a winning result on the night. It didn’t take long to make that happen.
Just 2:05 into the period, Carolina’s Calvin de Haan held the puck in at the right point, sent it across the blue line to Andrei Svechnikov. He drove to the net, but was stopped by Montembeault, but the rebound squirted to Sebastian Aho, who potted his 24th of the season.
The rout was on.
Just 1:48 later, Svechnikov carried the puck from behind the night and sent it back to Brent Burns at the blue line. The veteran walked in on goal to challenge Montembeault and fired a drive from in close. He made the save, but Seth Jarvis handled the rebound nicely with a quick shot into the far side to make it 4-2.
Another 1:07 after the fourth goal, Carolina’s Jesper Fast started the play up ice from his own zone. He sent a pass up to a streaking Jordan Martinook on the right side generating an odd-man rush. Martinook sent the puck to his left where Jordan Staal one-timed a drive, stick side for his 15th of the year, giving Carolina a 5-2 lead.
With 13:23 left in the period, Pezzetta took a penalty for holding the stick of Carolina’s Stefan Noeson, sending the Hurricanes to their second power play of the night. The Hurricanes could not take advantage though, but would have another opportunity.
With Carolina buzzing the Montreal net and frustration among the Canadiens building, defenseman Chris Wideman was called for interfering with Fast in front of Montembeault, drawing the power play, their third of the game. That, too, couldn’t create a goal.
The home team, with nearly twice as many shots on goal, showed no mercy, punishing the visitors at every chance, leaving no room on the ice to move without being hit.
With 2:16 remaining, Carolina’s Kotkaniemi tripped Montreal’s Mike Matheson while defending near the blue line. The Canadiens could not score on the man advantage, but Carolina ended up adding to their goal total.
Late in the game, the puck squirted to the neutral zone where Carolina’s Seth Jarvis picked up the loose biscuit and streaked toward the Montreal goal from the red line. Montembeault was awaiting the speed and the threat.
Jarvis went backhand, forehand and then roof of the net to complete the hat trick, the first of his career, and the Hurricanes closed out the Flying Frenchman with a 6-2 win.
Carolina topped the 40-shot plateau edging Montreal 41-22 in dominating fashion to secure the victory.
The Hurricanes looks forward to hosting the Washington Capitals at Carter Finley Stadium Saturday night at 8:00 PM (ET) for the 2023 NHL Stadium Series outdoor game.
Dennis Morrell has enjoyed many years of experience in the great game as a hockey writer, photographer, goalie coach, player and currently active USA Hockey-certified referee with over 1,600 games in his striped jersey. His passion for the game began in the early 70s with his first glance at skaters in Clayton’s Shaw Park. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.
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