Juraj Slafkovsky scores in tight for Canadiens' 3-goal lead

Juraj Slafkovsky scored in tight for the Canadiens in Game 1 against Carolina, turning Cole Caufield's feed into the goal that pushed Montreal to a 3-goal lead. The sequence came after a wild opening 33 seconds and a quick reply from Montreal, and it gave the Canadiens another lift in the Eastern Conference Final opener.

Jarvis Opens Fast

Jarvis wired in the opening goal 33 seconds in, putting Carolina on the board before the game settled. Caufield answered early with a beautiful wrister to tie it, and the pace never really slowed after that.

From there, Montreal kept finding room in the middle of the ice. Slafkovský collected Caufield's pass, weaved through traffic, and jammed the puck in tight to extend the lead, then later found the twine on an empty net in MTL@CAR, ECF, Game 1.

Caufield Sets the Table

Caufield's pass was the key touch on the play. He drew Carolina's attention first, then Slafkovský finished through traffic with the kind of close-range chance that leaves little time for Andersen to reset.

The sequence also fit the shape of Montreal's night. Robinson ripped in a goal short side, Demidov buried a puck past Andersen, and Danault set up Texier to extend the lead, while Carrier and Danault teamed up for the lead earlier in the same Game 1.

Montreal Keeps Pressure

Slafkovský's finish gave Montreal more than one score on the night. It pushed the Canadiens further ahead in MTL@CAR, ECF, Game 1, and kept Carolina chasing after the early swing in momentum.

That same result sits against the backdrop of Montreal's 3-2 Game 7 overtime win over Buffalo, when the Canadiens and Sabres met at center ice for handshakes before Newhook finished the series. In this series opener, though, Slafkovský's tight-area finish was the play that widened the gap.