Carolina Hurricanes end Montreal Canadiens four-game winning streak 5-3 -NHL Update
Just when Montreal was beginning to show hope of turning the season around by having won four straight games, Carolina came into the scene and ruined everything as the Hurricanes dominated Canadiens, 5-3, Monday night, February 13, 2012, at the sold-out
Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Carolina not only snapped Montreal winning streak but ended their own two-game losing slump as well coming out of back-to-back overtime losses to Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche.
The power play worked for both teams as Carolina and Montreal managed to capitalise on two added man advantages but failed on the other three as they had five opportunities each.
Jiri Tlusty kicked off the scoring with his 13th goal of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season at the 3:09 mark of the opening period. Carolina was given two straight added man advantages in the next 10 minutes but failed on
both.
Jaroslav Spacek capitalised on the power play nearly midway through the second as Montreal’s Raphael Diaz was called for tripping.
Canadiens caught fire after Carolina’s second straight of the night as Tomas Plekanec, Erik Cole and David Desharnais added three back-to-back goals within a six-minute timeframe, going into the final period with a 3-2 lead.
The Hurricanes were not about to die down just yet as Eric Staal triggered a Carolina scoring spree with his breakaway goal shorthanded and unassisted, followed by Jamie McBain on the power play and finally captain Eric Staal once again with a little over
30 seconds remaining.
"We were in a tough slide there last time and there were some interesting things going on with our team. Our compete and our battle level just wasn't there the last time here, and it showed with the score," Staal said. "We've turned that around and guys
are really playing for each other a lot more, being a little more competitive and staying with the game. It's a lot more fun playing that way, we showed some resilience in the third period and it feels better now."
Carolina has the next against San Jose Sharks at home on Friday while Montreal Canadiens host Boston Bruins on Wednesday.
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