The Montreal Canadiens face a significant challenge against the Carolina Hurricanes, trailing 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Final. The Canadiens head into Game 5 at Lenovo Center on Friday facing elimination.
St. Louis Shares Comeback Wisdom
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis has experience coming back from a 3-1 series deficit. St. Louis wanted his players to know what is possible and how rewarding completing such a comeback can be. He knows from doing it three times as a player.
“He just kind of explained how good the feeling is of getting that done,” Canadiens forward Cole Caufield said Thursday. “Obviously, we’re excited for the challenge. It’s a lot of work ahead, but you’ve got to have that belief with our coach and everybody in the room just to get the job done one game at a time.”
After losing the past three games by a combined 10-4, and being outshot 109-43 in the process, there doesn’t seem like there’s much reason for the Canadiens to believe they can turn this series around. St. Louis learned firsthand, though, how winning one game can change the momentum of a series.
Drawing on Past Successes
St. Louis was part of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They won 8-2 in Game 5 in Pittsburgh and that sparked them to win the next two games as well.
It was similar when St. Louis was with the New York Rangers and they trailed the Penguins 3-1 in the 2014 Eastern Conference Second Round. The Rangers won 5-1 in Game 5 in Pittsburgh to spark their comeback. Then, the Rangers did it again the next season in the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Washington Capitals, with a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 5 providing the springboard.
St. Louis said that was part of his message to his players in Montreal’s locker room following Game 4.
“I told them last night after the game you can’t look at it that you’ve got to win three,” he said. “That’s a big mountain to climb. You’ve just got to win one.”
Canadiens’ Experience with Comebacks
Caufield is among the players remaining, along with forwards Nick Suzuki, Jake Evans, Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, who were with the Canadiens when they rallied from a 3-1 series deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the North Division First Round in 2021. That comeback began with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 5 in Toronto, beginning a magical ride all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before Montreal lost to Tampa Bay.
Back then, veterans such as Eric Staal, Corey Perry and Shea Weber spoke up and provided the guidance for the younger players in the Canadiens locker room.