Canadiens Finally Break Carolina Curse in Wild 7–5 Shootout Win
So here’s what happened in Raleigh, and honestly, it was one of those games that felt chaotic, dramatic, and deeply satisfying if you’re a Montreal Canadiens fan. After years of frustration in Carolina — we’re talking no wins there since 2016 — the Canadiens finally flipped the script and walked out of Lenovo Center with a thrilling 7–5 victory over the Hurricanes.
This game was anything but calm. It turned into a full-on back-and-forth battle, with momentum swinging wildly from one team to the other. Early on, Montreal came out flying. Nick Suzuki wasted no time, scoring just over three minutes in, and it was quickly followed by Oliver Kapanen burying another one less than a minute later. At that point, it felt like the Canadiens were making a statement.
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But Carolina pushed back hard. Defensive gaps and power-play chances were taken advantage of, and before long, the Hurricanes had stormed ahead. At one stage, Montreal looked shaky, and even Jakub Dobes, who hadn’t played in over a week, appeared rusty early on. Still, credit has to be given — once he settled in, he locked things down and finished with 20 saves.
The turning point really came in the second period. Samuel Blais sparked life back into the Canadiens with a huge goal, and then things unraveled for Carolina in a flash. Alexandre Texier threaded a beautiful pass to Cole Caufield, who made no mistake scoring his 20th of the season. Just 23 seconds later, a brutal Hurricanes giveaway was pounced on by Josh Anderson, flipping the score yet again. Suddenly, it was 5–4 Montreal, and the building felt stunned.
The third period belonged to Juraj Slafkovsky. With Anderson injured and out for the period, Slafkovsky was leaned on heavily, and he delivered in a big way. He powered through the neutral zone, shrugged off defenders, and scored a goal that perfectly summed up his growth this season — strong, confident, and unstoppable. It was a reminder of why he was taken first overall.
Lane Hutson sealed the deal with a jaw-dropping 200-foot empty-net goal, putting the finishing touch on a night where he also posted multiple points. Alongside him, Blais, Slafkovsky, Hutson, Ivan Demidov, and Texier all recorded multi-point performances, showing just how balanced and dangerous this Canadiens lineup has become.
In the end, it wasn’t just a win — it was a statement. Montreal is now sitting at a season-high 10 games over .500, and more importantly, they proved they can win in one of the toughest buildings in the NHL. The curse in Carolina is officially over, and this team looks like it’s growing up fast.
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