Habs Steal Game 1 in Carolina Behind a Slafkovsky Filth Job

From there the rookies took over. Ivan Demidov has been the guy Ryan Whitney keeps comparing to Kucherov, and on this night he looked the part — a filthy finish that made it 4-1 and had Whitney basically taking a victory lap on his own scouting report. Crack hockey, as he put it. The Canes building turned funeral fast.

Barstool Gambling

@stoolgambling

DEMIDOV. IT IS 4-1!

And then came the moment that's going to live on the highlight reel all series long. Juraj Slafkovsky — the No. 1 pick everyone spent two years yelling about — walked Andrei Svechnikov into the boards with a move so disrespectful you almost had to look away. The top line heard the noise about being soft in this matchup. The response was a dangle clinic.

Pardon My Take

@PardonMyTake

SLAFKOVSKY DANGLES

Mintzy on the desk with Biz and Gretzky watching it all happen has to be the most fun broadcast assignment of the year so far, and he came out the other side saying exactly what the bet implied going in: this is the blueprint. Steal Game 1 on the road, put the rust narrative in Carolina's lap, and force the favorite to chase from behind in their own building. The Habs aren't supposed to win this series. They don't have to. They just have to keep playing like they did tonight.