RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes had to wonder if their next hockey game might be in 2022.
The NHL keeps adding new names to the league's COVID-19 protocol list, and games continue to be postponed. The Canes were scheduled to host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, but the Habs had 13 players in the COVID protocol and others injured, leading to some uncertainty about the game being played.
The Habs played. Piecing together a makeshift lineup with goalie Sam Montembeault in net, the Canadiens took the ice at PNC Arena and were competitive in stretches of the game.
But the Canes had all the answers and certainly more skill and experience, winning 4-0 behind goalie Antti Raanta. Teuvo Teravainen had a power-play goal and also scored shorthanded, Nino Niederreiter and Seth Jarvis added power-play scores and Raanta took care of things around the crease as the Canes (22-8-1) played their first game since Dec. 18.
Raanta, who had 26 saves, notched his first shutout of the season and the 14th of his career in being named the game's first star.
It might have been the biggest mismatch the Canes have had in years, all brought about because of the pandemic and Montreal injuries. Carolina, with eight players returning from COVID-19 protocol, had a nearly intact lineup — goalie Frederik Andersen, coming off the protocol list, served as the backup Thursday.
The Canes, tentative at first, did not get a shot on net for the first six minutes of the game but used their special teams to crank up the pace and intensity, take the lead and control the game.
Niederreiter scored his fifth goal in the past eight games by getting position in front of the Habs net and banging in a rebound after a Jaccob Slavin shot that Jesperi Kotkaniemi deflected.
Then, it was Tervainen's turn on the penalty kill. Sebastian Aho and Teravainen, dangerous when paired shorthanded, were off on a two-on-one after a Slavin breakout pass, Aho finding Teravainen for the one-timer at 13:29.
It was the Canes' second short-handed goal of the season, both by Teravainen, who had the first "shorty" Dec. 4 against Buffalo.
The Habs (7-22-4), beaten in overtime by Tampa Bay on Tuesday, tested Raanta and had their power-play chances. But the Canes killed off penalties with precision — Montreal was 0-5 on the power play — and forced the Habs into mistakes and penalties.
Teravainen's power-play goal in the second period came after a Jake Evans hooking penalty that negated a Montreal power play. Teravainen was stopped once as Montembault made a sharp sliding save, but Teravainen was given a second chance moments later and did not miss — the winger now has nine goals this season.
It was the first time in Teravainen's career that he has had a power-play goal and "shorty" in the same game.
Jarvis' power-play score came in the third period as Slavin earned his third assist of the game. Aho had a pair of assists for Carolina, and Kotkaniemi a point and a career-high six hits against the team that failed to match the Canes' offer sheet to him in late August — Kotkaniemi, a former first-round pick by the Habs, scored in his return game to Montreal on Oct. 21.
The Canes are set to play Sunday at Columbus and then will have another break with the NHL postponing the Jan. 3 game at Toronto. That will mean more practice time, and the Canes will try to make the most of it before a back-to-back set at home against Calgary and Florida on Jan. 7-8.
.png?w=600)
