Canadiens Cruise Past Jets in Game 3 to Take Commanding 3-0 Series Lead

The Montreal Canadiens returned to a packed Bell Centre for Game 3 against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday and promptly delivered a 5-1 victory behind another stellar effort from goalie Carey Price (24 saves).

It's the sixth straight victory for the Habs this postseason and gives the club a 3-0 lead in their second-round series.

The club is now one win away from becoming the first Canadian team to reach the Stanley Cup semifinals since the Jets fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018. No team north of the border has won the Cup since the 1993 Canadiens.

The loss puts Winnipeg in a dreaded position. Only four teams in NHL history have come back to win a series after going down 3-0, with the Los Angeles Kings last accomplishing the feat in 2014.

Notable Performers

Joel Armia, RW, Montreal Canadiens: 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 2 SOG

Artturi Lehkonen, LW, Montreal Canadiens: 1 Goal, 7 SOG, 4 Hits

Adam Lowry, LW, Winnipeg Jets: 1 Goal, 2 SOG, 5 Hits

Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets: 5 Goals Allowed, 28 Saves

Habs Embarrass Jets' Power Play Again

If Joel Armia's second period goal looked a bit familiar on Sunday, there's good reason for it. 

The tally that put Montreal up 3-0 was nearly identical to the goal Tyler Toffoli scored in Game 2 in Winnipeg. Both goals came short-handed. Both the result of a 2-on-1 rush. Both came at the expense of Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey.

Sunday's goal proved even more of a dagger, with Montreal already up 2-0 and a raucous home crowd egging on the Habs. 

With just under seven minutes remaining in the second period, Armia picked off a blind Winnipeg pass near the left faceoff dot in the Canadiens' zone and took off down the ice with Paul Byron. Only Morrissey stood in the way of the two wingers and Jets' goalie Hellebuyck. For the second time in as many games, the defenseman sprawled out on the ice to take away Armia's passing lane, only for the winger to toe-drag around him and bury a wrist shot in the back of the net. 

Armia should've known that move was coming from Morrissey after the Jet tried the same thing in Game 2. 

After tying the Boston Bruins for the regular season lead with nine short-handed goals, the Canadiens now have three shorties in the postseason. Equally concerning for the Jets is the fact they've now failed to convert on seven power play opportunities against Montreal.

Montreal has reached the point where giving up the man-advantage doesn't seem to help the Jets offense at all.

Winnipeg On The Brink 

It's been hard to find anything to feel good about when it comes to the Jets during the second round. Barring a significant change in Game 4, that'll mean a rather ruthless sweep at the hands of the Canadiens after Winnipeg swept the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. 

Through three games, the Habs have out-scored the Jets 11-4 despite barely being out-shot 90-87. Winnipeg went nearly 100 minutes without a goal in the series, finally breaking through at the end of the second period on Sunday after getting shut out in Game 2. 

Adam Lowry skated in on Price's weak side, took a quick pass from Mathieu Perreault and fired a one-timer past the the otherwise unbeatable Habs goalie. But what was notable about the goal wasn't just that Price's saves streak came to an end, but that the Jets were able to fire off a shot in the slot below the faceoff dots. 

It was only the fifth attempt from that location on the night. Winnipeg would only get off three more from there in the third period. 

Montreal's ability to keep the middle of the ice clear has allowed Price to play at his best and kept the Jets from finding high-percentage looks. Even with Mark Scheifele still suspended for his hit on Jake Evans in Game 1, there's enough blame to go around in the Jets locker room for their inability to generate those chances. 

While offense has clearly been the biggest issue for the Jets this series, Paul Maurice may have no choice but to swap Hellebuyck in net for backup Laurent Brossoit. Winnipeg needs to find a spark somehow, and with Hellebuyck giving up four goals on Sunday, he may be the odd man out. 

That may have been the case anyways with Game 4 slated for Monday night, but Maurice will have to push whatever buttons he can to extend the series. 

What's Next?

The teams will stick around in Montreal for Game 4 on Monday night. Faceoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on NHL Network.