3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ 4-0 Game 4 Shutout Win Over Canadiens

The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from the Stanley Cup Final. That’s no typo. The Hurricanes take a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final after shutting out the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in Game 4. Just like in Games 2 and 3, the Hurricanes limited the Canadiens’ chances, this time stopping all 18 shots en route to a dominant win. However, they did not need overtime to score three goals; they took care of that quickly.

3 Goals in 3 Minutes

It took almost 15 minutes for the Hurricanes to score their first goal of the game. After that, it took a total of 2:47 to have three in the blink of an eye. Sebastian Aho scored his first goal since Round 1 against the Ottawa Senators to get things rolling. He took a great pass from Nikolaj Ehlers to give the Hurricanes the first goal of a game in four straight contests. This time, it was on the power play. It was his 11th power-play goal in the playoffs, making him first in franchise history.

It only took 1:08 for Jordan Staal to make it 2-0 after scoring on a beautiful feed from K’Andre Miller for his second of the playoffs. He put himself right in front of the crease and got the tip in to double the Hurricanes’ lead. At that point, there was more of a sense that the visitors were feeling it. When it seemed like the Hurricanes were not going to let up, they made it a 3-0 game in quick succession.

Not even 1:39 after the Staal goal, Logan Stankoven netted his eighth goal of the playoffs to give the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead within a span of 2:46 in the first period. He took a great cross-ice pass from Jackson Blake to beat a sprawling Jakub Dobes as the Hurricanes were pouring in on the Canadiens.

After Game 1, the Hurricanes have had better starts in every game since. Game 4 was no exception as they outshot the Canadiens 43-18. At one point, they had 17 shots compared to the Canadiens’ zero in the third period. The visitors had 19 shots in the third period alone. The Canadiens had 18 all game. When it came down to it, the Hurricanes dominated the Canadiens.

Andersen Earns Third Shutout in Playoffs

For the third time in these playoffs, Frederik Andersen earned himself a shutout. It gives him eight playoff shutouts for his career, fifth overall with the Hurricanes. He surpassed Cam Ward for the most shutouts in franchise history following the win. He managed to stop all 18 shots in the effort.

Following his lone playoff loss in Game 1, Andersen has been shutting down the Canadiens, allowing two goals in Games 2 and 3, then zero in Game 4. Andersen has been a rock in the playoffs for Rod Brind’Amour’s team, which in turn has seen him get start after start. The belief in Andersen is felt in the locker room, leading the Hurricanes to where they’re at now. He is now 11-1 in the postseason and seems to be in an otherworldly groove as he and the Hurricanes are one win away from the Stanley Cup Final.

Hurricanes Lead Series 3-1

The Hurricanes are now 6-0 on the road, becoming the seventh team to accomplish this feat. Following their wins in Games 3 and 4 in Montreal, they’re now one win away from the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. They will have the opportunity to advance in Game 5 on Friday night (May 29) at the Lenovo Center. As long as they keep playing the way they have been between Games 2 and 4, they have a legitimate chance to accomplish that feat.

They always say winning the fourth game is the hardest, and for the Hurricanes, it will be as they’re knocking on the door even louder than before. They’ve come up short twice in the last three Eastern Conference Final appearances. However, this time feels different. While it is not guaranteed, the Hurricanes have a chance to make the final dance for the first time in two decades.

They’ll be leaning heavily on the Andersen, the defense, and a total team effort in Game 5 on Friday. If they can hold off a Canadiens team with their backs to the wall, play 60 minutes of Hurricanes hockey, they can officially open the door for a chance at the ultimate goal. It’ll be one period at a time, one shift at a time, as they look to close the series out on Friday. Can they get the job done at home in Raleigh?