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P.K. Subban did not hold back after the Montreal Canadiens overwhelmed the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 in Game 1 of the NHL‘s Eastern Conference Final on Thursday night.
Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Subban questioned both Carolina’s readiness and its ability to match Montreal’s offensive talent in a fast-paced series.
“I think both,” Subban said when asked whether the loss was a bad game or a bad sign for Carolina. “They didn’t start the series on time. You have to be connected. You’re off for 11 days or nine days or 10 days, whatever. It’s too long.
“The way Montreal’s playing coming off of two Game 7s, it was gonna be very, very difficult.”
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Carolina briefly grabbed momentum when Seth Jarvis scored 33 seconds into the opening period. But Montreal answered almost immediately and buried the Hurricanes under four first-period goals. Cole Caufield, Phillip Danault, Alexandre Texier and Ivan Demidov all scored before intermission.
That early collapse exposed a rare breakdown in Carolina’s defensive structure. The Hurricanes entered the series unbeaten in the playoffs and had not allowed more than two goals in any postseason game before Thursday.
Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky (20) celebrates with teammates at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Subban believes the matchup itself may be the larger issue for Carolina.
“I think for Carolina, what they’re up against is this,” Subban said. “They might have to turn into the Harlem Globetrotters and quick because they’re gonna have to change their style of play.
“You cannot go back and forth and trade chances with Montreal in a skill game. They’re a much more skilled team.”
That assessment matched what unfolded on the ice. Montreal consistently beat Carolina’s aggressive forecheck with clean exits and quick transition passing. The Canadiens created open-ice rushes throughout the night, while Carolina struggled to recover defensively once its pressure game failed.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour admitted the Hurricanes looked disconnected after the long layoff.
“I didn’t think we were very sharp,” Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”
MORE: Rod Brind’Amour assigns blame after Canadiens end Hurricanes’ unbeaten playoff run
Montreal’s depth also stood out. Nick Suzuki recorded three assists, while Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice in the third period to finish off the win. So clearly, the Canadiens are a young but skilled team.
“This is why I picked them to win the series,” Subban said about the Canadiens’ skill level. “This is why I picked them to get to the Stanley Cup Final, because I believe there’s a big, big difference between the skill level that’s on the Montreal Canadiens compared to the Carolina Hurricanes. And in this series, it’s gonna take skill and the ability to finish to win.”
MORE: Mitch Marner’s Vegas dominance exposes what went wrong in Toronto
The concern for Carolina is that this was not simply rust. Montreal is now 4-0 against the Hurricanes this season and postseason combined. If Carolina cannot slow the Canadiens through the neutral zone, the series could shift quickly from tactical battle to outright mismatch.
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Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Subban questioned both Carolina’s readiness and its ability to match Montreal’s offensive talent in a fast-paced series.
“I think both,” Subban said when asked whether the loss was a bad game or a bad sign for Carolina. “They didn’t start the series on time. You have to be connected. You’re off for 11 days or nine days or 10 days, whatever. It’s too long.
“The way Montreal’s playing coming off of two Game 7s, it was gonna be very, very difficult.”
MORE: Wayne Gretzky calls Sidney Crosby NHL’s Tom Brady, LeBron James
Carolina briefly grabbed momentum when Seth Jarvis scored 33 seconds into the opening period. But Montreal answered almost immediately and buried the Hurricanes under four first-period goals. Cole Caufield, Phillip Danault, Alexandre Texier and Ivan Demidov all scored before intermission.
That early collapse exposed a rare breakdown in Carolina’s defensive structure. The Hurricanes entered the series unbeaten in the playoffs and had not allowed more than two goals in any postseason game before Thursday.
Canadiens exposing Hurricanes’ skill gap
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Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky (20) celebrates with teammates at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Subban believes the matchup itself may be the larger issue for Carolina.
“I think for Carolina, what they’re up against is this,” Subban said. “They might have to turn into the Harlem Globetrotters and quick because they’re gonna have to change their style of play.
“You cannot go back and forth and trade chances with Montreal in a skill game. They’re a much more skilled team.”
That assessment matched what unfolded on the ice. Montreal consistently beat Carolina’s aggressive forecheck with clean exits and quick transition passing. The Canadiens created open-ice rushes throughout the night, while Carolina struggled to recover defensively once its pressure game failed.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour admitted the Hurricanes looked disconnected after the long layoff.
“I didn’t think we were very sharp,” Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”
MORE: Rod Brind’Amour assigns blame after Canadiens end Hurricanes’ unbeaten playoff run
Subban picks the Canadiens to win the series against Hurricanes
Montreal’s depth also stood out. Nick Suzuki recorded three assists, while Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice in the third period to finish off the win. So clearly, the Canadiens are a young but skilled team.
“This is why I picked them to win the series,” Subban said about the Canadiens’ skill level. “This is why I picked them to get to the Stanley Cup Final, because I believe there’s a big, big difference between the skill level that’s on the Montreal Canadiens compared to the Carolina Hurricanes. And in this series, it’s gonna take skill and the ability to finish to win.”
MORE: Mitch Marner’s Vegas dominance exposes what went wrong in Toronto
The concern for Carolina is that this was not simply rust. Montreal is now 4-0 against the Hurricanes this season and postseason combined. If Carolina cannot slow the Canadiens through the neutral zone, the series could shift quickly from tactical battle to outright mismatch.
Continue reading...
