Captain Eric Staal scored two goals and added an assist, all in the third period, and Cam Ward stopped 30 of 33 shots to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens Monday night at Bell Centre. Staal, who has suffered through a nightmare season in which he has not posted his expected point totals and entered February as a -26 in the plus / minus ratings, has now scored points in three consecutive games (four goals, six points).
Hurricanes Vs. Canadiens: Eric Staal’s 3 Third Period Points Snap Habs’ Winning Streak, 5-3
Montreal’s four-game winning streak was Staal-ed, as the captain was in on all three ‘Canes third period goals with two goals and an assist to lead the visitors to a 5-3 win.
Even with the win, Carolina remains in the Eastern Conference basement with just 53 points. The ‘Canes are 3-0-2 in their last five and 5-1-4 in the last 10.
Meanwhile, Montreal’s four-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt, leaving the Canadiens seven points out of a playoff spot.
The contest featured several players who have changed teams during the present campaign, as well as Carolina head coach Kirk Muller's first time facing the club he captained and served as an assistant coach for five years. Muller began the current season as the coach of the Nashville Predators' AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, before taking over the Hurricanes post in late-November.
Muller's squad opened the scoring early in the first period when Jiri Tlusty got a stick on defenseman Bryan Allen's shot from the left point and deflected it up over goaltender Carey Price's glove hand. It was Tlusty's 13th tally of the season and gave him a point in each of his last five games (three goals, two assists), giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at 3:09.
With the Hurricanes on the power play later in the period, Price kicked out the left pad to stop Chad LaRose in tight. As a matter of fact, Price stopped 15 of the 16 shots he faced in the opening frame to keep it a one-goal game after one period of play.
The 'Canes were able to double their lead midway through the second when Jaroslav Spacek scored against his former teammates in his first trip back to Montreal. Jeff Skinner made a perfect pass from Price's left to the cutting defenseman in at the other side of the net, and Spacek deposited the puck into the open side of the cage for his second goal of the season and a 2-0 Carolina lead at the 9:41 mark of the middle session.
Just over two minutes later, Tomas Plekanec got the Canadiens on the board, beating Cam Ward through the five-hole on a two-on-one for his 12th of the year at 11:53. Ward appeared to be cheating to the far side in anticipation of a pass and Plekanec, who took an elbow to the head from Staal earlier in the period, snapped a wrist shot past Ward using Rene Bourque as a decoy.
Montreal tied the game on a spectacular individual effort by ex-Hurricane Erik Cole while on a man advantage. The winger held the puck along the right wing wall and circled before making a strong move to the inside of the top of the circle, then ripped a hard wrist shot that beat Ward to the long side and found the inside of the post and the back of the net. It was Cole’s 21st goal of the year to knot the score at 2-2 with 4:03 left in the second stanza.
When Jay Harrison took a minor for cross-checking Lars Eller to put Carolina down a man again, the Canadiens took full advantage on the ensuing power play. David Desharnais reigned in the rebound of a P.K. Subban point shot along the goal line and with Ward sprawling to make a stop, moved out front and tucked the puck inside the post for his 11th goal of the season with 2:07 remaining in the second.
Bryan Allen took a hooking minor early the third period to give the Canadiens, who had all the momentum at this point, another opportunity on the power play with the chance to add to their lead. But Staal gathered the puck at center ice, turned on the burners, and walked around another ex-teammate in Habs' defender Tomas Kaberle. Staal cut across the front of the Montreal crease and sent a shot towards Price's five-hole, and as the netminder attempted to squeeze the pads together, the puck trickled through the wickets and over the goal line for a Staal shorthanded tally. The Hurricanes center's 15th provided his club with a tremendous swing in the contest, tying the score at 3-3 at the 3:15 mark of the third period.
With Carolina on a man advantage of their own as the result of a Raphael Diaz tripping minor, Jamie McBain slapped a shot from the slot past Price just moments after Staal had hit the post from the same spot that Cole had hit the target in the previous period of play.
Staal sealed the triumph with 36 seconds left by hitting the empty net with Price pulled for an extra attacker for his second of the night and 16th of the season.
Ward improved his record to 21-18-10, while Price made 30 saves on 34 shots but dropped to 21-20-8.
Another aspect of the game that proved to be anything but ordinary was each club scoring twice in five power play chances. The Hurricanes came into the game with the 23rd-ranked man advantage unit (15.5%), while Montreal entered the night’s action with the 28th-overall power play (13.7%).
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