Montreal Canadiens’ Winning Streak May Have Exposed Carolina Hurricanes’ Greatest Weakness Going Into Playoffs

The Montreal Canadiens might be responsible not only for their Game 1 victory in the Eastern Conference Final but also for bringing out some key challenges for the Carolina Hurricanes, the team they were playing against. After a tough series played against the Ottawa Senators in the previous round, the Canadiens became the underdog team confronting the Carolina Hurricanes, who were expected to dominate throughout the playoffs. The Montreal Canadiens, however, came in and won decisively against Carolina in Game 1, now putting their long rest period under scrutiny. 

Momentum For Canadiens vs Rest For Hurricanes: Biggest Topic In NHL Playoffs

The Carolina Hurricanes entered the Eastern Conference Finals looking almost unbeatable. The Hurricanes had swept the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in quick succession, not allowing many goals and playing well in regulation after weeks of success. The balance, discipline, and defensive play of Carolina made them heavy favorites against a Montreal Canadiens team fresh from defeating the Buffalo Sabres in a hard-fought seven-game series.

However, Montreal came to the Eastern Conference Final battle-tested. In the seven-game series against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens and Sabres combined to rack up about 400 body checks. It became evident that physical exhaustion might play a part very soon. The conventional idea was that Carolina's freshness would defeat a tired opponent.

But then Game 1 happened.

The Montreal Canadiens entered the game in the same high gear that saw them knock out Buffalo in a grueling seven-game series. While the Hurricanes showed glimpses of brilliance, Carolina seemed lethargic due to the lengthy break between games. Now, the age-old debate in the NHL playoffs regarding rest and momentum seems more significant than ever.

Why Montreal Canadiens' Game 1 Win Will Set NHL Playoff Trends For Decades To Come

Game 1 will likely come up many times when people look back at the debates surrounding next year's postseason. Each year during the spring, there is talk about which is better for a team in the playoffs: the added rest or the experience gained by playing through lengthy postseason series. This victory by Montreal has certainly given ammunition to the momentum argument.

The discussion extends far past what happens in just one game. If Montreal continues to play its physical style and wears down Carolina, everyone watching will no doubt remember this moment and use it as proof of why momentum is more important than added rest. However, the opposite scenario is equally possible, in which case the story changes dramatically.

At this stage, Montreal not only leads the series, but also has all of the psychological momentum. And that is every bit as threatening in the NHL playoffs as skill.