Kotkaniemi Scores In Return To Montreal, Canes Defeat Canadiens 4-1

MONTREAL - The Carolina Hurricanes improved their undefeated start to the season to three wins in three games Thursday night, earning a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

The Feel of the Game
Unfortunately for the first 45 minutes of the contest, the Canes penalty troubles remained a storyline. Giving the home team six chances on the power play, Carolina struggled to keep complete control of the game, despite two goals in the first 2:12 of the second period to give them a 2-0 lead.
Two of the penalties belonged to Andrei Svechnikov and in addition to his infractions, he served the team's Too Many Men penalty as well.
Thankfully, just as was the case in Nashville on Saturday night, the Canes Russian forward was able to make good on at least one of his errors, striking for the team's second goal of the night. A beautiful high-to-low setup courtesy of Martin Necas through a few defenders, Svech's fourth of the season allowed him to join a select cast in NHL history, becoming just the fourth player in the last 35 years to score in each of his team's first three games in back-to-back seasons.
A late second period power play goal for Montreal gave them momentum heading into the third, creating the atmosphere of a one-goal game in the final period of regulation.
Eventually Kotkaniemi's marker tilted the game in favor of Carolina for good, providing them to their win.
Andersen Amazing Again
Montreal had plenty of opportunities to win tonight's game, but due to either missing the net, having a goal overturned due to goaltender interference, hitting a post or an array of big play stops from the Canes netminder, the road team came out on top.
Finishing with 27 stops on Montreal's 28 shots on goal, Andersen was needed in various moments throughout the night to keep the contest tied or keep his team ahead. Specifically in the latter half of the third period, the Dane turned away three high-risk instances, including one on Jonathan Drouin in all alone, where it looked like the Canadiens were about to change the momentum of the contest.
Montreal's lone goal of the night came on one of their six man advantages, while Andersen denied all 22 he saw at even strength.

Couldn't Script It Any Better
If you elect to celebrate other's successes, most times you wouldn't be upset with someone accepting $6.1M for one year of their work.
Unfortunately the crowd in Montreal did not share that outlook tonight, pouring boos onto Jesperi Kotkaniemi each time he touched the ice and corralled the puck. Seemingly unbothered, just as he has been all week with all of the media hype that he went through, the 21-year-old had a gigantic smile on his face after deflecting home a Brady Skjei shot to give his team a two-goal cushion in the third period.
Capping off a strong shift that totaled 38 seconds in their attacking end, Kotkaniemi's hustle to pinch off Ben Chiarot along the wall and keep the puck in was rewarded just moments later. As Sebastian Aho swung behind Jake Allen's net with the puck, Kotkaniemi repositioned himself in front, just catching a piece of the blue line blast to make it 3-1.

What They Said About It:
Rod Brind'Amour on his 21-year-old Finn being booed the whole night:
"That's tough, for anybody. Whether you're a young kid or not, you don't want to hear that. I think he was expecting that kind of reaction, that's just the way it is. He answered that the best way he could."
Jesperi Kotkaniemi sharing his feeling on the crowd's reaction and their boos:
"I think it was fun. I feel like it gets you going a little bit when you hear it every time you're on the ice and touch the puck. I enjoyed it."
Sebastian Aho on Kotkaniemi and his first game playing as a part of the all-Finn line:
"I'm sure it made him want to score a goal even more, obviously. Just hearing some of those boos, you get some fuel out of that. He was good. Like I said earlier today, it's just a matter of time until he gets more comfortable and that was the right step forward."
What's Next?
The team now heads back to the continental United States to take on Columbus Saturday night.