Here are 3 things to watch in Game 1:
1. Preparing the defenses
The Canadiens know what they’re going to get with the Hurricanes, especially with their quick and aggressive forecheck.
Montreal possesses a very mobile defense, though, and that agility should help them against Carolina.
“It’s definitely important," Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson said. "I think their forecheck is a huge part of their game. We’re going to need to be good on breakouts, support each other, use our legs to be able to make plays and try to break their pressure.
"If we do that, we’ll be playing with the puck more and playing in the O-zone, but it’s definitely an important part of the series.”
2. Aho A-OK
You don’t have to remind Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho that offense has been hard to come by for him and his fellow linemates Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis, who make up Carolina's top unit.
Aho has four points (three goals, one assists) in eight games this postseason but has not scored since Game 4 of the first round, when he had two goals against the Ottawa Senators. Svechnikov has three points (one goal, two assists) in eight games and Jarvis has four points (one goal, three assists) in eight games. Svechnikov and Jarvis each had a goal in their second-round win against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Certainly, they want to get going offensively, but Aho said the way the team is performing overall should be the focal point.
“Away from the puck we’ve been pretty solid," he said "We’ve got to keep doing that. Offensively, I think we’ve got better than this, for sure. Yeah, it’s definitely not about us, our line. It’s our team.
“We’re trying to win hockey games here and just try to help the team win but yeah, we definitely have talked about it and use this little bit of a break to reset and starting (in Game 1), hopefully play better hockey.”
3. Goal-den moment
This series will pit emerging star vs. veteran in goal.
Jakub Dobes has endeared himself to Montreal with his personality and his play. The 24-year-old is 8-6 with a 2.52 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 14 starts for the Canadiens.
He became the third goalie in Montreal history with two Game 7 victories in a single postseason, joining Jaroslav Halak in 2010 and Ken Dryden in 1971 and the sixth NHL rookie to do it, along with Dryden, Jordan Binnington (2019), Cam Ward (2006), Felix Potvin (1993) and Mike Vernon (1986).
Meanwhile, Andersen has been magnificent for the Hurricanes. The 32-year-old is 8-0 with a 1.12 GAA, .950 save percentage and two shutouts in eight starts.
He can become the ninth goalie in NHL history and second in the past 32 years to win nine consecutive games in a postseason. The only other one to do so in that span is Chris Osgood with the Red Wings in 2008.
