Andersen blanks Canadiens 4-0 as Hurricanes stay hot
Mar 31, 2022, 6:52 AM | Updated: 8:11 pm
Carolina Hurricanes' Tony DeAngelo (77) looks to pass the puck around Montreal Canadiens' David Savard (58) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, March 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Frederik Andersen made 32 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, Andrei Svechnikov scored twice and the Carolina Hurricanes dominated the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Thursday night.
Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and an assist as the Hurricanes stretched their points streak to six games with their third win in the last four outings.
“I think we wanted to play a complete game and I thought we did,” Andersen said.
Tony DeAngelo and Jaccob Slavin both assisted on two goals.
Andersen faced 14 shots in the third period, when the Hurricanes killed off three penalties. By then, the Hurricanes were in control.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said he liked how Carolina set the tone and Andersen came up big when necessary.
“We didn’t give up much,” Brind’Amour said. “There was a breakaway in the first period.”
Some of Carolina’s good work came in the final minutes, withstanding Montreal’s extra skater before Svechnikov’s second goal went into an empty net and pushed him to 200 career points in 270 games.
“He probably should have more if you look at how he’s played,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s getting a lot of empty-netters so he’s kind of making up for those stretches when it’s not going in for him.”
The Canadiens were blanked for the fifth time this season, the last one coming on Dec. 30 in the same building against Carolina. Jake Allen stopped 40 shots for Montreal, which has won just once in its last six games (1-3-2).
The Hurricanes held a 42-18 edge in shots through two periods.
“We were a little taken aback by how aggressive they actually are,” Canadiens center Nick Suzuki said. “We had no time to make plays.”
Aho scored the first goal 3:48 into the game on a power play. Thirteen of Aho’s team-high 31 goals have come on power play — the most for a Carolina player in man-advantage situations in a dozen years.
Svechnikov worked his way to the front of the net and was there to guide the puck past Allen with 11.2 seconds left in the opening period.
Teravainen scored at 3:43 of the second period for his first goal in 12 games, though he owns a six-game points streak.
“They work for all their chances,” Allen said. “That’s the culture they have on that team.”
CRUSHING CANADIENS
The Hurricanes outscored Montreal by a combined 12-1 in three meetings this season. Carolina has won 13 of the past 18 games (13-3-2) in the series.
BRUTAL STRETCH
Montreal will play three of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference in terms of points this week. This was the middle of the matchups with Florida, Carolina and Tampa Bay.
“We knew this trip was going to be tough for us,” Allen said. “Find a way to improve on this trip and realize what it takes to be one of the best teams in the league. This is probably the toughest road trip in hockey right now.”
Suzuki said those three teams have earned their status: “They find ways to win games and we just got to learn how to do that.”
RETURN OF THE MARTINOOK
Left winger Jordan Martinook was back in the Hurricanes lineup after a seven-game absence with a lower-body injury. He drew the game’s first penalty to set up Carolina’s power-play goal.
“That’s the value of that kind of player,” Brind’Amour said. “He had been out so it was nice that he brought that energy to the group.”
UP NEXT
Canadiens: At Tampa Bay on Saturday night to complete a four-game road trip.
Hurricanes: Host Minnesota on Saturday night.
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