Canadiens Season on the Brink After Lifeless Game 4 Performance

The Montreal Canadiens are on the verge of elimination after a lifeless 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4, a defeat that showed the Canadiens haven’t learned much from Games 2 and 3 and are leaving Habs fans feeling this series is in real jeopardy.

For the first time ever, the Canadiens have dropped four straight home games in a single postseason, and this latest performance may have been the most discouraging of them all. Allowing three quick goals, the Canadiens were forced to attempt a comeback they could never mount. “The game’s gonna humble you,” said head coach Martin St. Louis after the loss. Frustrated by the result and the effort that came with it, he added that it’s not easy to hear the fans booing and yelling “shoot the puck”, something he admitted they were well within their right to yell after the way these last three games have unfolded.

Carolina controlled the game from start to finish. Game 4 offered no evidence that the Canadiens are figuring things out. The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are only getting stronger.

Carolina dictated the pace early and never let up, exposing the Canadiens’ inability to handle sustained pressure. Facing one of the league’s most aggressive forechecking teams, the Canadiens were getting smothered and repeatedly turning pucks over in dangerous areas. There were several instances where the Canadiens went minutes without a shot. It was eight minutes in the first. It was 17 minutes in the third. It’s no surprise the fans were annoyed.

This is the third game in which the Canadiens generated virtually no offense. In Game 4, they finished with just 18 shots (following games of 12 and 13 shots respectively). The streak has set a dubious mark with one of the lowest three-game shot totals in playoff history.

Are the Canadiens Simply Overmatched?

Ultimately, the Canadiens appear overmatched against a deeper, more experienced Carolina squad that continues to elevate its game. The Hurricanes weren’t good in Game 1. They self-corrected, and their defensive structure, combined with an ability to hound the Canadiens to the point they are completely off their game, has been the difference.

This led to the Canadiens taking undisciplined penalties and more of them sinking into a game plan that isn’t working. When the Habs know they have to shoot, they’re being too selective and looking for the perfect play. The problem is that the Hurricanes aren’t offering those looks.

Now trailing 3-1 in the series, the Canadiens face a daunting task heading back to Carolina for Game 5. While the series is not yet over, the emotional and physical toll makes it feel like it is. They’ll have to do more than win one game at a time. The Canadiens are at a point where they have to approach Game 5 like they have to win each period. If they get through that, they’ll need to do the same in Game 6, and Game 7.

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