Canadiens' top line wakes up, exponentially increasing chances to advance to final

AtlanticBruinsCanadiensLightningMaple LeafsPanthersRed WingsSabresSenatorsMetropolitanBlue JacketsCapitalsDevilsFlyersHurricanesIslandersPenguinsRangersCentralAvalancheBlackhawksBluesJetsMammothPredatorsStarsWildPacificCanucksDucksFlamesGolden KnightsKingsKrakenOilersSharksScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsFantasyNHL OddsNHL PicksLatest NHL mock draftUFA big boardPlayoff bracketRed Light NewsletterStanley Cup The Canadiens' top line showed a first sign of life in Game 1 against the Hurricanes Thursday night. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Share article2RALEIGH, N.C. — For the longest time, the Montreal Canadiens were a team that won with depth, a team that lacked the star power of many of their opponents and made up that gap at the top of the lineup by being better than the sum of their parts. Then, somewhat suddenly, that all changed. This season, they had a 101-point scorer in Nick Suzuki, a 51-goal scorer in Cole Caufield and a 30-goal scorer in Juraj Slafkovský making up their top line. Just like that, the Canadiens went from a team that relied on depth to being somewhat top-heavy, relying on one line to provide the bulk of the offence while the rest of the lineup could be somewhat comfortable simply playing their matchups to a draw, knowing that if they did that, more often than not, their big line would win the night. But that line did not have much playoff experience — at least not since becoming one of the best offensive lines in the NHL — and the playoffs make producing at that level far more difficult. You are facing the same team night after night, and that team’s primary objective is to shut you down and force the rest of the team to beat them. The Canadiens have been fortunate through two rounds that the rest of the team has done just that, because aside from power-play production, the formidable trio of Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovský had not produced a whole lot to help power their team into the Eastern Conference final. The Canadiens are having success, but without that top-line production at five-on-five, it is not sustainable. And the top line knows it. As captain, Suzuki knows it. And every time over these two playoff rounds he’s been asked about his line’s five-on-five production, Suzuki has mentioned it. He said it again Wednesday, minutes after arriving at the team hotel in North Carolina and just over 24 hours before starting this series against the Hurricanes. “Obviously, we want to do our part to help the team win, whether that’s defending hard, producing offensively,” Suzuki said then. “Power play’s been pretty good, so we’re a big part of that. But five-on-five, we’ve definitely got to find a way to produce more if we’re going to keep moving forward. It’s not one big thing that’s missing; it’s just little plays here and there. I think all three of us can do a better job, but it’s definitely exciting for our group, where we haven’t been producing where we usually are, that guys have stepped up and helped us out. “We’ve got to return the favour and play a little better.” Entering Game 1 against the Hurricanes, Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovský had combined for five points at five-on-five between them, good for seventh place on the team. In the Canadiens’ 6-2 Game 1 win against the Hurricanes on Thursday, the trio collected six points at five-on-five. It is difficult to make much of the win, considering the Hurricanes got off to a poor start after the longest break between playoff games in more than 100 years. But the fact that the Suzuki line scored 60 seconds in, and again to put the game away in the third period, with each member of the line earning a point on the goals by Caufield and Slafkovský, said a lot about the Canadiens’ chances for success, and their ability to pull off another upset and perhaps win this series. To say it was a weight off their shoulders would be a massive understatement. “It was definitely weighing on us a little bit,” Suzuki said after the game. “We’re a line that’s produced every single time that we’ve been together. Teams are game-planning a lot on us, so we’ve got to find a way to play through that. Not every night’s going to go your way in the playoffs, but you’ve got to be a line that can be counted on.” The morning of the game, head coach Martin St. Louis was again asked about his top line’s lack of five-on-five production, and his first instinct was to defend them, as he always does. He pointed to how hard they defended against difficult matchups, and how they have not cheated to snap out of their even-strength funk. But then, the coach with the even temperament expressed his admiration for that line’s ability to manage a situation where they clearly felt they were not pulling on their bit of the rope. “I’m proud of the way they’ve handled that pressure, so to speak. The high expectations,” St. Louis said Thursday morning. “I’m confident, and I know that these guys are doing everything they can to get that result at five-on-five. I don’t think they’re doing it at the price of not defending.” A lot comes from Suzuki and the way he handles everything. He is a naturally calm person, measured in how he speaks and behaves. He is extremely competitive and has a very high standard for how he expects to perform, but has a gift for balancing that intensity with level-headedness. It is what makes Suzuki an ideal captain. It is what makes Suzuki an ideal thermostat for that top line at a time like this. It is why the Canadiens often have a general air of calm about them. “I’m a pretty positive guy,” Suzuki explained. “When things aren’t going your way, it’s easier to be negative than it is to be positive. Slaf’s a young player, Cole’s a bit older but still younger, so I try to keep them positive. When you’re negative all the time, it’s tough to climb out of those holes.” The way Game 1 began was a perfect example. His line was not on the ice to start the game; it was the line centered by Jake Evans. And a mere 33 seconds into the game, the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Seth Jarvis, a key member of a top line that has also been struggling to score in the playoffs. That could have provided the Hurricanes the lift they needed. The Lenovo Center was jumping. A momentum shift was needed, but so was the calm of their captain. St. Louis sent Suzuki and his linemates over the boards. Caufield scored 27 seconds later on assists from his two linemates. The boost that Jarvis goal could have provided the Hurricanes was instead given to the Canadiens. They never looked back, and some of that can be explained by the relief that was not only felt by that top line, but the rest of the team seeing that top line, which has been such a reliable source of offence all season, get off the blocks in this third round that quickly. Evans spends a lot of time with Suzuki. They’ve been teammates for five years, have gone through a lot together and equally cherish this moment, as the Canadiens quickly emerge from a rebuild and open a contention window. But Evans knows the extent to which the expectations he has to manage are far different from what Suzuki has to manage. And he admires his friend’s ability to manage them. “I love it. I think he’s been the same guy these whole playoffs,” Evans said. “I’m obviously close with him; I drive with him to most places, and he’s the same level-headed guy. He knows he wants to do more out there, but I think sometimes he needs to realize he’s in a very tough situation where I’m sure every team’s pre-scout is ‘We’ve got to shut this guy down.’ He’s played really, really good hockey, I think.” On those drives, has Evans ever needed to talk Suzuki up? Ever needed to pull him out of the dumps? “No. Never,” Evans said. “That’s the thing that’s impressive is he’s very level-headed. He’s driven, which is great, and they all are. But he’s not changing the way he needs to play to get all these points.” Certain elements of what happened in Game 1 probably won’t be replicated. The Hurricanes are unlikely to play a first period as sloppy and disjointed as the one they played Thursday night. But as much as the Game 1 win helped increase the Canadiens’ chances of advancing to their first Stanley Cup Final in five years, the awakening of their offensive engine in the process might have been even more beneficial and more promising for their future chances. And so even if the Hurricanes turn out to be vastly improved Saturday night, the Canadiens have to hope their top line’s awakening will carry over to Game 2. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms