Nikolaj Ehlers sings the praises of Ivan Demidov

Basically, he says that recently, he was on the ice against Demidov in a four-on-four situation. And the Canes player was praying that Demidov wouldn't get the puck.

He describes him as a fast, agile player with the puck who has good hands. He's impressed by what the Russian can do on the ice in his rookie year and thinks Demidov will be a force for many years to come.

We agree that Ehlers is right. And we also agree that the timing of his comments is excellent, since praising the opponent before a big game is always a winning strategy in the playoffs.

At this point, Demidov will have to prove to Ehlers and the other members of the Hurricanes that those words are true.

Since the start of the playoffs, Demidov has shown flashes of brilliance and had his moments. But you never know, from one game to the next, if he'll be able to make a difference.

To be continued.

overtime

Tonight's game is a good opportunity for Demidov to help the first line—which generates the majority of the Canadiens' offensive chances—lead the Habs to victory.

It's not talked about much, but Nick Suzuki's line is playing better than it did at the start of the playoffs. That line is creating more scoring chances.