Montreal Canadiens

Burrows Helped Montreal Cash In on Carolina’s Risky Style

Alex Burrows helped Montreal expose Carolina’s aggressive style, and the Canadiens executed the game plan perfectly.

by
Old Prof
May 22, 2026

Elliotte Friedman was all over this point. The Montreal Canadiens didn’t just stumble into a win. They had a plan, and Alex Burrows is a big reason why. As Friedman put it, Burrows mapped out how to play Carolina, and the team executed it to a T. Carolina’s style is aggressive; they take chances, which naturally gives you opportunities if you’re ready to pounce. The Philadelphia Flyers and the Ottawa Senators didn’t bury those chances earlier, but Montreal did. And that was the difference.

The Canadiens Had a Simple, But Effective, Plan

What stood out was how simple it was: make Carolina pay for being aggressive. The Habs didn’t try to reinvent hockey; they made the Hurricanes’ strengths work against them. When Carolina pinched or overcommitted, Montreal had players in the lanes ready to intercept, break out, and turn defence into offence fast.

That transition work led to high-quality chances and a bunch of finishing plays that actually found the net. These were not just shots from the perimeter, but real goals. Friedman’s point about preparation matters here. Burrows apparently gave them a clear game plan right after the Buffalo series, and the team knew exactly what to do when the moment came.

The Canadiens’ Success Created a Confidence that Carried the Game

There was also a ripple effect of confidence. Guys like Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and the rest of the team have been in slumps at times this postseason. But when one of them finally pops — like Caufield, everyone feels it. Friedman highlighted how those early finishes changed the vibe. Once the scoring starts, Montreal plays looser, smarter, and sharper.

Jakub Dobes Montreal Canadiens — Jakub Dobes was there when the Montreal Canadiens needed him.

That’s huge against a team like Carolina that tends to gamble in their own zone; if you can cash in on the early mistakes, you force them to stop gambling and play more cautiously, which takes them out of their groove.

Goaltending and structure deserve credit, too. When Carolina did push, Montreal’s goalie and defence were ready. Jakub Dobes’ timely saves killed any momentum Carolina could build. Add disciplined zone exits and support from the third and fourth lines, and the Hurricanes didn’t have the sustained pressure you’d expect from a team built on transition offence.

The Canadiens’ Win Wasn’t Luck; It Was Intelligent Preparation

The bottom line is that the Canadiens’ win wasn’t luck. It was preparation, execution, and finishing. Burrows drew up a game plan that targeted Carolina’s risky tendencies, and Montreal did the dirty work. They intercepted, countered, and scored.

If they keep pouncing on Carolina’s mistakes and the top guys keep cashing those chances, the Habs just made it clear this series isn’t going to be one-way traffic.