Can the Canadiens still hang with Hurricanes?

After a dominant performance in Game 1, it looked like the Montreal Canadiens had figured out the Carolina Hurricanes and may be the team to finally dismantle them. But then in Game 2, the Canes bounced back with a much stronger performance, and while the scoreboard in the 3-2 overtime win didn’t indicate it, they dominated play, leaving many wondering if Montreal is out of their element in this series.

Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton talked about the Eastern Conference Final series and whether or not momentum has swung in Carolina’s favour.

Carter Hutton: I think they can still hang with them. I don’t think it’s going to be as dominant as we saw in Game 1. I think the predictability of the game is going to be a lot harder for them in trying to create. You look at Jaccob Slavin, -4 in Game 1, he’s +3 in Game 2. Carolina goes as their system and as Slavin goes.

But that being said, I think the x-factor in Montreal is the offensive firepower, whether it’s Slafkovsky, Caufield, Demidov, Suzuki, these guys that can create that offense. And then for Montreal, it’s going to be playing within yourself and then getting really, really good goaltending from Jakub Dobes.

So I don’t think this series has swung immensely the other way by any means. I think Montreal went in after seven games, did a job, got a split in Carolina, and now you start to reassess. So I think there will be a challenge on both sides. I think it just showed us that Carolina is a lot better than they were in Game 1. And this is more the team we expected.

Tyler Yaremchuk: Yeah. And I think if you’re Montreal, that obviously puts a lot of importance on winning both games on home ice. I think as Carolina keeps going here and they start to get a little bit more comfortable and get in the flow of things, I think that system is just going to keep getting better and better and tougher to get through for the Habs.

Obviously every game’s important. I don’t mean to sit here and just spew a bunch of clichés, but you need to win Game 3, otherwise momentum is fully swung back the other way here, and I think Carolina will be in a bit of a groove. So for Game 3, I think you want to stun them with that crowd at the Bell Centre and the energy.

You can watch the full episode here…